Nature Versus Nurture (Part III) Devotion Or Deception
by flikaroo
Summary: [AU] Leonardo leads the Foot Clan. Raphael hunts a Triceriton foe. Donatello lives with his ex. Michelangelo struggles with depression. Haunted by their pasts, this fractured family struggles to move forward. This is the conclusion to the Nature Versus Nurture Trilogy. Based on the 2003 series.
1. A Lonely Brother

**A/N: Thanks to your kind reviews and PM's, I'm happy to announce Nature Versus Nurture has become a trilogy. And part three is here. Since this is a part three, you may want to read Part One (Nature Versus Nurture) and Part Two (Nature Versus Nurture: Past Meets Present) before this one.  
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 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the turtles, those rights belong with the respective owners, I am merely borrowing them for this tale.**

 **And now without further delay.**

 **Nature Versus Nurture: Part Three; Devotion or Deception**

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Chapter 1-A Lonely Brother

For the past six months, when Michelangelo wasn't forced into training with Master Splinter or doing chores, he could be found in the same spot. Sitting on the couch, blankly staring at the television.

Klunk leapt up onto the couch. The feline placed an orange paw on Michelangelo's arm.

"Meow?"

The distracted turtle didn't even flinch at the contact.

Klunk placed a second paw onto Mikey and tried again.

"Meow?"

Receiving no response, Klunk curled up next to cat dad.

The distracted turtle didn't make a sound when his best friend had entered the lair.

April O'Neil shifted the packages in her arms. She called out a greeting as she headed towards the kitchen.

Silently emerging from his room, Master Splinter nodded as he welcomed the red head. He moved to help her unload the bags. "Ms. O'Neil."

"Hi Master Splinter." April gave the old rat a warm smile. Her smile fell as she asked. "How's he doing?"

A flicker of sadness flashed across Splinter's face as he replied. "I'm afraid that Michelangelo's mood has not changed."

After putting the goods away, April joined Master Splinter at the kitchen table. A cup of hot tea was placed in front of her.

Absently running her finger along the rim of the cup, April sighed. "It's been six months Master Splinter."

Sitting down beside her Splinter nodded, then sipped his tea. "Michelangelo is still grieving over the loss of his brothers."

A frown crossed April's face. She had recently read about the Kübler-Ross model. The model outlines the 5 stages of grief. _Let's see the five stages are: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. But Michelangelo has been stuck on the same stage for six months now, depression._

April gently blew on the tea to cool it, before taking a sip. A comfortable silence joined the red head and the Ninjitsu master as they sat in the kitchen.

Eventually Klunk sauntered over and began rubbing against April's legs.

The red head reached down as she began scratching the cat under the chin. "Hi Klunk."

"Meow."

Satisfied with the display of affection Klunk walked away.

Noticing the time, Splinter rose from his chair. He lightly squeezed April's hand as he spoke.

"Please excuse me, for I must partake in my evening meditation. It's always a pleasure to see you Ms. O'Neil. You are welcome to stay as long as you like."

Giving Splinter a warm smile of her own, April nodded. After watching the old rat leave the kitchen, her gaze wandered over to Michelangelo. Her depressed friend had not moved from his spot in front of the television.

April looked down at the cup in her hands and swirled the tea leaves. Her thoughts wandered back to the five stages of grief. _The book I read said that the depression stage shifts over time. Typically s_ _adness and regret predominate this type of depression._

April's eyes wandered back over to Mikey sitting on the couch. _And_ _the person may be blaming themselves, taking responsibility for their action where something has gone wrong. Master Splinter said that Mikey argued with Raph and Donnie before they left the lair. I don't know what it was about, but maybe he feels guilty?_

Finished with her tea, April turned in her chair, facing the living room. She crossed her arms in front of her chest. _Let's see, first you're supposed to be there for them, accept their misery._

April scoffed. _Well I've been doing that for the past 6 months._

The red head narrowed her eyes and she continued. _The second thing to do is to keep them moving. And to show them there is a light ahead; encourage them to reach towards it._ April tilted her head, deep in thought. _Well, the moving part is easy. I know that Master Splinter is still making Mikey train every day. But he's been training for the past 16 years, it's a routine by now. Maybe that's not enough?_

Suddenly the answer popped into her head. And it was so simple. April could have smacked herself in the forehead for not realizing it sooner. _Of course! Mikey needs a_ _ **reason**_ _to get moving again. And I've got just the thing._ With a satisfied smile, April headed towards her friend.

* * *

Michelangelo did not shift his gaze from the television. He felt the couch shift from April's added weight. The disheartened turtle knew that he had been an awful friend to April lately. He just couldn't help himself. Six months had passed, with no word from any of his missing older brothers. Mikey snuck a quick glance towards the dojo. No sounds of swords cutting through the thin air. No grunts and thumps from fists striking the heavy bag. Mikey stole a brief look towards the laboratory. No noises from the tinkering of unknown inventions within the lab. Mikey held back a sigh. Oh how he missed his brothers. And it was all his fault.

The orange masked turtle felt numb and hollow, like the leftover shells after a steamed lobster dinner. Mikey's thoughts wandered to the all too familiar topic of his missing bros. _Leonardo, left on a self-sacrificing mission to take control of the Foot Clan. He was convinced it was the only way to bring order to the streets of New York City. I should have done more. Let him know that he is not just a leader, but also family. I should have told Leo that he's not just my protector, but also my brother. And Raphie, first I yelled at him, blamed him for supporting Leonardo. And then he stormed out of the lair. Fueled by the anger from a conversation with Donnie that I still don't know the cause of. I don't know where he went, or why he was so mad. And Donnie, poor Donnie. He snuck out of the lair after I yelled at him. After I accused him, blamed him, as the turtle responsible for both Leo and Raph leaving._ Michelangelo's stomach lurched, the all too familiar pang of regret slowly building inside of him. Completely absorbed in his misery, Mikey jumped when he felt a warm hand grab his wrist.

Mikey turned his head, the startled look on his face telling April she had to repeat herself. "Mikey, are you hungry? I brought pizza."

Too upset to eat, he shook his head. _No._

Sliding her hand into Mikey's own, the red head began rubbing a finger against her friend's palm, attempting to offer comfort. April hoped her ramblings would get through to her distracted friend.

Michelangelo only half listened as April's voice droned on in the distance, like the constant buzz of a fly near his ear. "I don't blame you, I'm not hungry either. I had pizza for dinner yesterday anyway. And I need to save my appetite. I have a date tonight with this guy I met. I don't know where we are going for dinner, but I hope the food is good."

Mikey had zoned out immediately when April started rambling. But then something she said broke through his thoughts. _I have a date tonight with this guy I met._ He grasped April's hand tighter.

April smiled as her overprotective friend's instincts kicked in. _Finally, got him!_

For the first time in months, Mikey turned and focused 100% of his attention on his friend. "Date? What date?"

April knew that Mikey saw her as more than just a friend, he treated her like she was his sister. A sister that was going out on a date. Alone. With a stranger. She pulled her hand out of his grasp. Now that Mikey had nibbled on the bait, it was time to sink the hook and catch her fish, or in this case, turtle. "Yeah, I have a date tonight with this guy I met."

Mikey narrowed his eyes. He had already lost all of his brothers. The caring turtle wasn't about to lose his best friend too. "You can't go out on a date."

April frowned at him. "And why not?"

Mikey started waving his hands around with his words. "Because you'll be all alone. With a complete stranger. He could be working for the Foot Clan. Or the Purple Dragons. Or be some kind of crazed psycho!"

April had to bite the inside of her lip to keep from breaking into a smile. Michelangelo always over reacted to her dating. Instead, she gave her friend a stern look. The stubborn red head crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I'm going on this date Mikey. You can't stop me and you know it."

Mikey grunted his displeasure with her decision.

Uncrossing her arms, April placed a hand on his forearm. "But you're welcome to watch over me tonight. Make sure I stay safe." Then she leaned forward. "If you promise to stay in the shadows."

Frowning and seeing no other options, Mikey nodded.

* * *

Michelangelo sat at the kitchen table in April's apartment. He half-heartedly nibbled on a slice of cold pizza he found in her refrigerator. This wasn't the first time the orange ninja had kept a watchful eye on his good friend during a date. But the worst part, was waiting for her to get ready. That woman took forever!

As he waited, Michelangelo's eyes surveyed the apartment. It had been months since he stopped by for a visit. His thoughts turned back to his missing brothers. Sitting with Raphael in April's living room as they played video games. Hovering over Donatello's shoulder as he typed fast and furiously on April's laptop at her desk. And finally, joining Leonardo at the kitchen table as the leader sipped his tea. Mikey let out a sigh as he leaned his chin into his hand.

April clearing her throat regained Michelangelo's attention. "Ahem."

The orange clad turtle turned in his seat and let out a gasp. "Whoa, April!"

The red head spun, showing off her date night outfit with a radiant smile. "You like it?"

He enthusiastically nodded. Then Mikey jumped out of his seat and engulfed April in a firm hug. "Dudette, you look amazing!"

April blushed at the sign of affection. "Aww, thanks Mikey."

Pulling out of the embrace, Mikey stared into her eyes. The sorrowful expression on his face, matched his tone. "No really Ape, you really are amazing. Any guy would be lucky to have you as his girl. I'm blessed to have you as my friend, my sister. I'm sor-"

April put her finger to Mikey's lips, cutting him off. "Mikey, don't. I understand. And I don't think your brothers are gone for good either. They'll come back, you'll see."

A flash of hope crossed his face. "Thanks Ape."

Suddenly Mikey's face changed, into the mischievous grin April had not seen in a very long time. She raised an eyebrow. "Mikey?"

He swatted her rump, causing April to let out a yelp. "Come on hot stuff!"

Giggling, the prankster then shouted over his shoulder as he bolted for the window. "We can't keep your prince charming waiting."

April growled as she headed for the door, but had a grin across her face. Her good friend was finally starting to snap out of his depression. "Mikey!"

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 **A/N: Isn't Mikey lucky to have such a good friend in April. I wonder who she is going on a date with? Virtual chocolate chip cookies to those who review.**


	2. Third Wheels

**A/N: Everybody thank Sairey13 for the suggestion to include Casey Jones in the Nature vs Nurture Universe.**

 **Everybody says. "Thanks Sairey13!"**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: I keep wishing but until it comes true, I do not own the turtles.**

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Chapter 2-Third Wheels

Arnold Casey Jones tried on another t-shirt, before ripping it off. He tossed it onto the growing pile on his bed. Grabbing yet another t-shirt he turned to his roommate, repeating the question. "How about this one?"

A deep chuckle rang throughout the apartment. "Same as the last one Case. It looks fine to me."

Leaning back, Raphael balanced on two legs of the chair beneath him. He absently twirled one sai in his hand as he spoke. "So why are you so worked up over this girl anyway? It's not like you've never been on a date before."

Frazzled, Casey ran a hand through his hair as he reached for yet another t-shirt. "This girl's different."

Casey stopped and faced his terrapin roommate. "She's special Raph."

Startled by the serious expression on his friend's face, Raphael stopped leaning on the chair. The legs hit the ground with a thud. "Whoa, you really like this one?"

Casey nodded eagerly. A wide grin spread across his face as he thought about April O'Neil.

The red masked turtle leaned forward as he raised an eye ridge. _Anyone who has Case looking like a love struck puppy, is definitely worth meeting._ "Then I'll have to meet her."

Casey stopped rummaging among his clothes to turn and face his roommate again. "Oh no. I don't think so Raph. One look at you and she'll run screaming for the hills."

Raphael smirked, leaning back again. "Are you sure she's seen your face bro?"

Casey scowled, but ignored the taunt. Hoping to distract his overly curious friend, he countered. "Don't you have some hunting to do tonight?"

Raphael frowned as he returned the sai to the belt at his waist. The red clad ninja had stormed out of the lair six months ago. At the time Raph was hell bent on seeking revenge against an old Triceriton enemy, Commander Mozar. And while he didn't want to admit it, the result of six months of Raph's searching spoke for itself. There was no way that the Commander was on Earth. Which meant that Raphael's rash decision to leave his family behind, was all for nothing.

Casey saw the guilt flash across his friend's face. "You're going to have to go home sometime."

Raphael let out a sigh. When he first walked out of the lair, he didn't give any thought into where he was going or what he was going to do. He was hurt by Donatello's involvement with the Triceriton Mind Probe. The only thing on Raph's mind was revenge.

The sai wielder rubbed one hand down his face. "I know. But how am I ever going to face Donnie again after what I said to him? Or Mikey and Master Splinter after walking out on them?"

Casey walked over and, in a rare display of affection, patted his roommate on his shell. "If they really are your family bro, then they are going to understand. We all make mistakes. Especially when it comes to dealing with family."

Casey turned and began gathering up his wallet, phone and keys. Shoving everything into his pockets he opened his mouth.

Raph raised a hand, cutting off his friends retort. "Case, I can't sit here all night. I need something to do. I'll stick to the shadows."

Then Raphael grinned wolfishly. "Besides, someone's gotta protect your date from the predators out on the streets."

Casey growled at his curious friend before heading out the door. After six months of living with Raph, he knew arguing with the head strong turtle was pointless.

* * *

Michelangelo balanced on the edge of the rooftop. The overprotective turtle was trying his best to keep an eye on April and her date. But his efforts were in vain. The restaurant was dark and did not have many windows. This made peering inside difficult. He backed away from the edge with a sigh. _I'll just have to wait until they finish dinner and leave the restaurant. Too bad Ape couldn't bring me a doggy bag._

As he began to pace along the rooftop, Mikey pulled the nunchakus from his belt. The orange ninja adored his chucks. They were fast, and unpredictable, just like him. He spun them slowly at first, the weapons quickly picking up speed. Pretending he was facing a rooftop of foes, Mikey began sparring with the thin air.

* * *

Raphael was late arriving to the restaurant. The red masked turtle had to make a few stops along the way. Raph always enjoyed teaching a few Purple Dragons that stealing was not ok in his city. Unfortunately, Raph's pit stops meant that he missed Casey greeting his date before the young couple went to dinner. Now Raph would have to wait until they were finished. Leaning against a chimney Raph pulled one of his sais from his belt. As was his habit, he began twirling the weapon. The metal glinted in the moon light.

* * *

April used the cloth napkin to wipe the tears from her eyes. The red head could not remember the last time she had laughed this hard. Or the last time she had this much fun on a date. She was falling for Casey Jones, falling hard and fast. Casey's recount of his latest attempt to stop a mugging with his roommate reminded April of Mikey's brother Raphael. April could easily picture Raph and Casey paired together, trying to stop the theft. Ultimately, they would get the job done. But putting together two hot heads that both hated crime, would not make for a flawless fight. April knew it was impossible, but she was willing to bet a week's paycheck that Raph and Casey would become close friends, if they ever were able to meet.

Casey Jones stared into April's green eyes and felt his breath catch in his throat. She was smart, funny, and beautiful. The vigilante did not know what he did to find a girl like her, but there was no way he was going to let her go now. Arnold Casey Jones was falling for Ms. April O'Neil, falling hard and fast. And it felt damn good too. Now he just had to make sure he did NOT screw this up.

* * *

Sparring with nobody grew boring quickly. Michelangelo moved up into a block as he stepped backwards. He then ended the sequence with a snapkick, followed by a strike to the head with his nunchaku. Placing the weapons back into the belt at his waist, Mikey stretched his arms over his head. _It feels good to be out of the lair._ The orange ninja let his eyes roam across the city's rooftops. _It's a beautiful night. Just look at that moon in the sky. And those stars twinkling on that rooftop over there._

Something about that last thought didn't seem right. Puzzled, Mikey stopped stretching. _Wait a minute. Stars don't twinkle on rooftops._ Fixing his gaze on the spot where he saw the twinkle, Michelangelo waited. The flash of light was fleeting, but it was there. O _nly one thing would flash metal on a rooftop._ Excited at the thought of some action Mikey grinned. _Looks like somebody's hanging out on a rooftop, with a weapon._ Mikey glanced towards the restaurant. The twinkling rooftop wasn't that far and April had walked to the restaurant. Certain he could still watch over his friend when her date walked her home, Michelangelo headed towards the twinkling rooftop to investigate.

* * *

As Raphael waited for Casey to walk his date home, he twirled the sai in his hand slowly at first, then faster and faster. Spinning his weapons was an old habit. The red masked turtle used to spin his knives when he was living with the Triceritons. Twirling knives in his bare hands used to drive Raph's guardian, Traximus, crazy. The Triceriton always worried that Raph would slip and slice a finger off. And that was one reason why Raphael used to always do it. The red turtle liked the challenge. The rush he got from deftly handling a dangerous weapon. At any given moment he could get hurt, but he never did. The habit carried over to his new weapons, the sais.

Raphael let the weapon spin even faster. The glint of the metal in the moonlight heightened the look of danger. Besides, twirling a weapon in his hands always helped Raph to think. Ever since Casey's comment back at the apartment, Raphael was distracted by thoughts of his brothers. He was going to have to do a lot of groveling to earn their forgiveness after walking out on them. Especially to Donatello.

The sound of laughter from the nearby alley caused Raphael to stop twirling the sai in his hand. Raphael recognized Casey's voice right away. Accompanied by a female voice that sounded awfully familiar. _No way! Is Case on a date with April?_

Curious, Raph peered over the edge, looking down at the couple below. A grin spread across Raph's face. _Well I'll be. That's April all right._ Raphael's eyes turned mischievous. The opportunity was too good to pass up. With the stealth that only a ninja could possess, Raph silently made his way down to the unsuspecting couple below.

* * *

Michelangelo silently landed on the building of the twinkling metal. Sticking to the shadows he scanned the rooftop. The metal wielder was hidden in the dark, but the glint of the metal in the moonlight gave away their position. As Mikey quietly stalked towards his prey the laughter of April and her date rang through the night air. _Darn it!_ _Sorry mystery dude, maybe another time then._ The orange ninja turned away, heading back to his post.

Michelangelo peered over the edge, looking down at the young couple below. A smile spread across his face. _April sure looks happy with her date._ As the orange clad turtle watched the happy duo, a movement in the shadows caught his eye. _Something moving in the shadows? Maybe I'll get my chance to fight after all._ Eager for a stress release, Mikey bounded down towards the alley below. With a determined look on his face he located the stalker in the darkness. A grin spread across the orange clad ninja's face. Mikey's muscles tensed up as he readied himself, planning to tackle his unsuspecting opponent, hard.

* * *

 **A/N: Oh boy, that's not going to end well is it? Thank you to those who have reviewed. I'm always delighted to read your thoughts and suggestions. Virtual banana splits to those who review.**


	3. Fessing Up

**A/N: Thank you so much for your favorites, follows and reviews.**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: Nope they still aren't mine.**

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Chapter 3-Fessing Up

Raphael stood in the shadows for a moment, observing the happy couple. He couldn't wait to see the look on Casey's face when he dropped in on the vigilante's date.

With a smirk, Raph called out. "Hey Case, how about you introduce me to your girl?"

Recognizing Raph's voice, Casey Jones's face fell as he stopped mid stride. _Raph?_ _Oh no, he wouldn't?_

Beside Casey, April paused as well. She frowned, puzzled at the sudden voice from the shadows. It sounded really familiar. Then realization dawned on her. _No way, that voice. Can it really be?_ She tentatively called out. "Raph?"

The red masked turtle moved into the light to greet his friends. At the same time a green and orange blur tackled Raphael to the ground.

Casey's face morphed from one of dread, to one of surprise. "What the?"

In front of the couple, a growling mass of green rolled around on the ground. One could barely make out hints of red and orange among the green combatants. The two fighters each struggled to gain the upper hand.

Her brain finally catching up to the scene in front of her, April pleaded. "Wait Mikey, it's Raph!"

Michelangelo paused for a moment, his fist in mid air. The adrenaline starting to wear off. _Raphie?_

Raphael let out another growl as he shoved his fast moving brother off of him. It took Raph's mind a moment to process who belonged to the body he had just pushed away. _Mikey?_

The two surprised turtles swiftly jumped to their feet. They stared at each other, uncertain what to say.

Casey's mouth was hanging open so wide, he was surprised he hadn't caught any flies yet. Raphael had mentioned having three brothers. While Casey didn't know which brother wore orange, he wasn't too surprised to see a new mutant turtle. No, what left Casey Jones speechless was the reaction of his date. His eyes grew even wider as April ran over and gave the red masked turtle a big hug. _What is going on?_

Raphael grunted, surprised by the forceful yet friendly embrace from the red head.

Too afraid to move, least this all turn out to be a dream, Mikey's voice came out in a squeak. "Raph?"

The red ninja looked over April's shoulder and locked eyes with his awestruck brother. With a sheepish smile on his face he spoke. "Hey Mikey."

April stepped back from the sai wielder. Her look of joy quickly formed into a scowl. Raph raised an eye ridge at the sudden change. _Uh oh, she looks mad._

Raph was caught off guard for the second time that evening. He let out a yelp at the sudden slap from an angry April. "What?"

April's eyes burned with fire. "That's for storming out of the lair!"

Months of built up frustration began to release itself, similar to the bursting of a damn. April continued swatting at the red turtle. Her aim was wild and uncontrolled as she vented. Her voice rising with each strike.

Smack.

"Do you have any idea what you've put your family through?"

Slap.

"What you've put Mikey through? Or Master Splinter?"

Thwack.

"Leonardo leaving was bad enough. And then you left. Followed by Donatello. This family was torn apart!"

Finally breaking out of his trance, Casey moved to grab April's hands before she could swat at his friend again. A three fingered, green hand, beat him to it.

Mikey held April's wrists firmly, but gently. "Easy Ape, it's ok."

Casey cast a confused glance at his friend. Raphael had never mentioned that he left his family all alone.

Frozen in place, the look on Raphael's face suggested that he didn't know either. "What do you mean Donnie left?"

April shimmied out of Mikey's grip. She blew out a deep breath. "Come on, we'll discuss it at my place."

The three boys watched the red head storm away. Shooting each other a questioning glance, they quietly followed.

* * *

An uneasy silence had settled over the group seated at April's kitchen table.

Afraid he would disappear again, Michelangelo refused to take his eyes off of his older brother.

Raphael shifted in his seat, averting his gaze away from an impatient April, a fearful Michelangelo, and a puzzled Casey Jones. Instead, he stared into the cup of hot chocolate in front of him. Raph wanted to know what happened to Donatello, but not at the cost of making April angry again.

Casey's eyes remained fixated on Michelangelo. Now that the shock had worn off, Casey looked over Raph's little brother. Raphael had mentioned that his youngest sibling was the jokester of the group. The fighter physique and rather odd looking wooden sticks in his belt, held together by metal chains, seemed to suggest otherwise.

April drummed her fingers on the wooden table. Her eyes flicked back and forth over the three figures surrounding her. _Casey didn't run away in fear when he saw Raphael approach. In fact, Raph mocked him from the shadows of that alley. Clearly these two know each other._ _And poor Mikey, it looks like he's going to crack at any moment._

Realizing that no one was going to speak first, April cleared her throat. All eyes turned to her. _Time to take charge._ "Ahem."

April locked her stern gaze on Raphael. "Where have you been mister?"

Raphael tried to shrink further into his seat. It was unsettling to see April so angry, especially at him.

Trying to protect his friend from another swatting session, courtesy of an enraged red head, Casey blurted out. "He's been with me!"

Refusing to look away from his brother, Mikey's voice pleaded. "Raphie, why? Why didn't you come home? What happened to you and Donnie?"

Raphael shifted uncomfortably in his seat. At the time, the decision to leave the lair had been so simple. He would go out, bust some heads, the head of one Triceriton Commander in particular, and then return a victor. With that task complete, he'd help his brothers rescue Leonardo from his obligations with the Foot Clan.

Realizing he wasn't going to get out of this one, Raphael began by taking a deep breath.

"It was the night that Leo left."

Feeling awkward, Raph cleared his throat and began again.

"After I left Mikey's room, I headed towards the dojo to blow off a little steam. On my way over, the door to Donnie's lab caught my eye."

Raph paused again. He glanced at Mikey's pleading face. It was time to stop hiding. The words began to tumble out.

"Leo had just rejoined the Foot. And I knew that you and Donnie weren't on board with that. But I figured, Donnie's smart, maybe he'll know what to do. I walked into his lab. Donnie was bent over something in his hands. He never even noticed me enter. I startled him and the object in his hands fell to the floor. It was a Triceriton mind probe. It looked like he was working on it, maybe fixing it? Donnie tried to explain, but I wouldn't listen to him."

Anger began to creep across Raphael's face. "My own brother, was working for the Triceritons? It didn't make any sense. The last time I saw one."

Raph shuddered. These were memories he hoped to forget. Raph paused again, taking a deep breath. "The last time I saw one, was during the Triceriton Civil War. As Commander Mozar's prisoner."

Anger flashed across Raphael's face. "That Triceriton scum had a reputation for torturing his prisoners. The Triceriton mind probe was his favorite method of interrogation. Painful, yet effective. Eventually the Commander found out that."

Pausing for a moment, Raph's anger shifted to pride. "That I was the one responsible for the failure of his mission. I had uncovered that he was a spy for the Triceriton Republic. Once Traximus learned that there were spies in our midst, the Rebellion began to focus their efforts on locating them. The war began to shift in our favor."

Michelangelo stared at his older brother, his eyes wide. "You don't really think Donnie was responsible for your torture, do you Raphie?"

Raphael shook his head. The guilt was written all over his face. _No._

Once the anger had passed, Raphael realized that he had wrongly accused Donatello. His pacifist brother would never, no, he could never, willingly create something as evil as the Triceriton mind probe. There was no way it was the purple masked turtle's fault that the Triceriton's tortured their prisoner's with the device. But the damage had already been done.

Raphael continued. "Once my anger cooled, I realized that I was awful to Donnie. But I didn't know how to say I'm sorry. So I decided on the next best thing. Seek revenge on Commander Mozar. Not just for what he did to me, but also to make it up to Donnie. No one should be allowed to use his genius for evil."

Raph stared into his mug. "But I couldn't find the Commander. And the longer I stayed away, the harder it became to return empty handed."

Finished with his tale, Raph drained the last of his hot chocolate. He silently returned the mug to the table.

April shifted in her seat. "Ok, so that explains why you left and did not return."

The stern red head's gaze fell upon Michelangelo. "Mikey, it's your turn." Like his older brother, Mikey squirmed in his seat. Suddenly the top of the table in front of him was very, very interesting.

Raph leaned over and grasped his brother's hand. He squeezed gently. "Mikey, what's this about Donnie leaving. What happened?"

Mikey squirmed again, and then let out a sigh. His voice was uncharacteristically soft, the guilt dripping from every word.

"I overheard you yelling at Donnie in the laboratory. He tried to defend himself, but I was too distracted to hear what he said. First you called him a traitor. Then you said he was no longer your brother."

Raph stiffened up at the reminder. His silence encouraged Mikey to continue.

Mikey began to sniffle, quickly losing the battle to hold back his tears. His voice filled with misery. "We had just lost Leonardo. Then you stormed out too. And I was just so angry! Everyone was leaving, trying to go off on their own."

Mikey's voice softened as he struggled to continue. "But we were supposed to be a family. And families take care of each other. They help each other. I barged into Donnie's lab. I told him it was all his fault. And as Mr. Fix It, it was up to him to fix us."

Tears freely rolled down Mikey's face. Raph leaned over. He engulfed his youngest brother into a hug. "Sssh, it's ok Mikey. I'm here now." The distraught turtle leaned into the embrace. Raph was back. Mikey squeezed Raph's arm. He was really here.

Casey broke the tender moment. "Dude, your family is messed up."

April smacked Casey on the back of the head, causing the vigilante to let out a yelp. "What?"

April mused outloud. "So that's why Donnie left. He went off to find Raphael. And to rescue Leo from his obligations with the Foot Clan."

Casey asked the question on everybody's mind. "So what do we do now?"

* * *

 **A/N: What a great question Casey. Virtual Pumpkin Donuts to those who review!**


	4. One Down, Two To Go

**A/N: Raph and Mikey are such fun to write paired together, here's another chapter with some brotherly fluff.**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: If I owned the turtles, my bank account would be much larger than it currently is.**

* * *

Chapter 4-One Down, Two To Go

After Raph's and Mikey's confessions, April, Casey, Mikey, and Raph tried to figure out what their next move should be. Search for Donatello? Or liberate Leonardo? At first, Leonardo seemed like the obvious choice. After all, they already knew where to find him, Foot Headquarters. But getting inside would be a problem. The building was heavily guarded. In addition, none of them knew the layout or how to dismantle the building's security system. And then there was Leonardo himself. Leo may have been coerced by the Foot Clan, but ultimately he left his family behind, willingly. Convincing their stubborn older brother to return home would be difficult, as long as the New York faction of the Foot Clan existed.

As the group tossed around ideas, it became clear that their next move should be to search for Donatello instead. Donnie's tech savy skills would be essential to the successful infiltration of Foot Headquarters. Except Donatello was the genius of the family. And he had spent ten years living among the Utroms. The intelligent turtle had learned the skills of stealth and concealment, from a race that had managed to hide on Earth, undiscovered, for centuries. In short, Donnie wasn't going to be found, unless he wanted to be.

With sunrise quickly approaching, and no next step readily available, Mikey and Raph left April's apartment. Which is why Raphael now found himself dragged through the sewer tunnels, led by an excitable Michelangelo, as they headed to the lair. It took everything Raph had to prevent himself from knocking his youngest brother on the head, then turning to run in the opposite direction.

The red masked warrior had faced a lot of things in his short lifetime. But having to face his father, after storming out of the lair six months prior, was not something he was looking forward to. Raphael felt like he was walking the plank on a pirate ship, straight to his doom. The red clad turtle couldn't even fathom how angry Master Splinter was going to be. Or how many knuckle push-ups he would have to do as punishment for abandoning his family.

Opening the door, Michelangelo yanked his reluctant brother inside. As was the norm now-a-days, the lair was quiet. A quick glance confirmed that Master Splinter had not yet risen for the day.

As the two teens approached their father's room, Raphael caught the time on a nearby clock. He whispered to his younger brother. "Ya know what Mikey. It's still early. Maybe I'll just."

Mikey stopped his brother's retreat with a surprisingly firm grip as he hissed. "No way bro. Now get in there."

The red clad ninja was cut off as Mikey shoved him forward.

* * *

Always a light sleeper, Master Splinter's eyes snapped open, the walking stick in his hands. The ninjitsu master stood ready to defend himself from the sudden intrusion.

The stumbling intruder finally caught their balance. A glimpse of red silk flashed in the dim light. The disbelief carried in Splinter's voice. "Raphael?"

Raphael immediately dropped to his knees in front of his sensei. The anxious teen remained in the traditional bow, his head close to the floor.

Splinter struggled to contain his shock. Raphael never moved his eyes from their spot on the floor as he spoke. "Master Splinter."

Splinter surveyed his lost son. The quivering of his arms. The quick, ragged breaths. It was clear that his most passionate son, was terrified.

Knowing his next actions would speak volumes to his red masked child, Splinter cleared his throat. "My son, welcome home."

Raphael's head snapped up at the unexpected words. _Wait, he's not mad? What?_

Splinter reached out and enveloped Raphael into a fierce hug. "It is good to have you home."

Unable to restrain his emotions any longer, Raphael leaned into the embrace. Raph's arms reached around Splinter. He tightened his grip as he buried his face in his father's fur. The love and forgiveness flowing from Master Splinter caused the passionate teen to crack. He had missed his father. Raph spoke, his voice trembling. "F-Fa-Father, I'm s-so-sorry. I'm so s-so-sorry."

Splinter began to rub small circles on his son's shell, murmuring words of comfort. "Sshh, it's ok my son. It's ok. All is forgiven. I am just happy to have you home again."

Master Splinter remained as strong as a mountain. Six months worth of guilt, frustration, and fear, poured out of his red tempered son. Finally, when it appeared that Raphael had begun to regain his composure, Splinter released his hold and sat back on his heels.

Roughly wiping the tears from his eyes, Raphael leaned back, staring at his father.

A movement in the shadows near the doorway caught Splinter's attention. Master Splinter scolded.

"Michelangelo!"

The orange clad ninja walked into the room, a guilty look on his face. Mikey kneeled in front of his sensai.

Splinter looked at his two sons. For his two young warriors, the journey to reunite their family had only just begun.

"My sons, today is a joyous day. You have begun the task of reuniting this family together. As individual's each of you is a great warrior. But as a family, the four of you can be unstoppable."

Mikey squirmed as Splinter spoke. Letting out a sigh Splinter addressed his energetic son.

"Yes, Michelangelo?"

Behind orange silk, hopeful eyes stared at him. "What about Donnie and Leo?"

Splinter's voice was stern. "First you must rest. And then you will find your brothers. The time has come to bring them home."

The confidence in Splinter's voice gave the young warriors strength. They could do this. They would find their missing brothers. And they would bring them home.

The red and orange ninja's bowed deeply, and then stood up. With their backs to Master Splinter, they walked to the door.

"But first." Both turtles froze, before turning around slowly. Splinter's stern eyes looked upon Michelangelo. "Eavesdropping will not be tolerated in this home. Michelangelo, you owe me 10 minutes of knuckle push-ups. Then you are to go directly to your room."

Mikey let out a groan as he headed to the dojo.

* * *

Raph lay down in his hammock. Using his feet to push off of the wall, he gently rocked back and forth. The motion helped to calm his nerves. Living with Casey had been great and all, but it felt good to be home. Raph reflected on how lifeless the lair felt. Sure, when everyone was resting the lair grew quiet. But something was missing. And that something came in the form of two missing brothers, Donnie and Leo.

Raph began twirling one of his sai. He wondered how Leo was faring, living with the enemy. And Raph puzzled over how they were ever going to find Donatello. Putting the sai away, Raph let out a growl. Donnie and Leo were always the turtles to come up with a plan. Except they were the two turtles they needed to find.

A figure hovered near Raph's bedroom door. There was only one turtle that could be. "Come in Mikey."

Michelangelo entered. The orange turtle knew it was silly, but he wasn't ready to let Raph out of his sights just yet.

Raph took one look at Mikey's puppy dog eyes and moved over. "Come here."

Without hesitation Mikey climbed into the hammock. The hammock wasn't really made for two, especially two mutant turtles, but they would manage.

Raph placed an arm around Mikey's shoulder. The youngster snuggled closer, reassured by Raph's bulk. One of his older brothers was finally home. But Mikey still ached for his missing siblings.

"Do you think they are ok Raphie?"

Raph gently stroked Mikey's arm, hoping it would bring comfort to his vulnerable sibling. "Of course they are Mikey. This is Donnie and Leo we're talking about. Those two know how to stay out of trouble."

* * *

 **A/N: Silly Raph, you should know better than to say something like that. And speaking of brothers, it's time to start checking in on what Leo and Donnie have been up to. Virtual hot mocha's to those who review!**


	5. The Young Leader

**A/N: A big thank you to those writing reviews. The reviews keep my plot bunny working hard and make me oh so happy!**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: I still don't own any of the turtles, a shame really.**

* * *

Chapter 5-The Young Leader

Hun walked down the familiar hallways of Foot Headquarters, seething with rage. For months the blonde giant has tried to circumvent the Elite Guard and gain control of the Foot Clan, while also leading the Purple Dragons. And he had almost done it too. That was, until Leonardo returned to the Foot Clan as their new leader. That blasted turtle had managed to bring order not only to the Foot Clan, but also to the streets of New York City. The Purple Dragons, had once again become the Foot's allies. Hun clenched is hands into fists. And now he was going to be stuck serving under his old master's freak of a son.

Entering the dimly lit office, Hun refused to kneel. He would not bow down to a teenager. Heck Master Shredder's favorite pupil, was little more than a mere child.

Leonardo was sitting behind the Shredder's old desk when Hun entered. The black clad turtle raised an eye ridge at Hun's defiance. _So that's how this is going to go?_

Leonardo rose from the chair and walked over, slowly.

Hun continued to shoot daggers at the black masked teen.

In a perfect imitation of something the Shredder would do, Leonardo circled the large giant. The young leader made sure to never take his gaze off of the man before him.

Finally Leo said. "Hun, aren't you forgetting something?"

The rage was pouring off of Hun in waves. He remained silent.

Leo's voice was firm. "Kneel."

Hun grunted. For a moment, he thought about refusing. The sound of a sword swiftly removed from the scabbard on Leonardo's shell, persuaded Hun to fall to his knees.

With disgust in his tone, Hun spoke. "Young Master."

Leo lifted the sword in his hand, admiring the shine of the steel in the dim light. "You were the Shredder's most loyal servant."

Hun's chest puffed out with pride at the statement. He had served under Master Shredder for many years, enjoying his high ranking position and the benefits it provided.

The black masked turtle swiftly followed up his remark with a blow to the chin. Hun cried out, caught off guard by the unexpected strike. His anger pushed over the edge, the blonde giant leapt to his feet. He was stopped by the cold steel of Leonardo's blade already pressed against his throat.

Leonardo growled. "I am not the Shredder."

In a menacing tone of voice, the young leader continued. "The last time we spoke Hun, I made it clear to you." The cold steel pressed harder, the blade nicked Hun's skin. A small trickle of blood began to pool around the wound.

"Disrespect me again, and I. Will. Kill. You."

The sword was returned to the scabbard on Leo's carapace, just as quickly as it had been removed.

Leo turned his back on the trembling man.

Walking back to the desk, Leo spoke over his shoulder. "Now let's discuss how the Purple Dragons will serve the Foot Clan."

* * *

After a long and tiresome meeting, Leonardo entered what was now his personal dojo. The hour was late. Most of the building's occupants were fast asleep. Leo lit a few candles. The flames flickered and danced as they bathed the room in a soft glow. Stretching, he began a warm up routine of strikes and blocks. Eventually he progressed to a few katas. His lonely shadow moving with grace and precision. As he advanced through the forms, Leo pulled the swords from the holders on his shell. The sound of his blades slicing through the air carried across the room.

Leonardo let his mind wander as his body moved through the familiar motions. It has been six months since Leo has seen his family. When the Shredder was killed, Leo had been eager to leave his old life behind. To forget about his past. He had been happy, reunited with his three younger siblings and their father, Master Splinter.

Leo frowned as his body moved. He should have known that leaving the Foot Clan would never be that easy. The elder Elite Guards, Saburo and Shiro, had recognized Leo as the Shredder's rightful heir. They backed him into a corner. The terms were clear. Return to the Foot Clan and become its leader, or watch his family die one by one. Leo's stomach lurched at the thought.

The black clad turtle slid back to block his imaginary foe. Leo would do anything to protect his family. Even if that meant turning his back on them in order to do so. And apparently, the elder Elite's had known it too. Frustrated, Leo let out a low growl as he executed a snap kick. Now he was stuck here, inside Foot Headquarters, as their leader. Leo felt like an animal in a cage. Trapped. With no way out.

Sweat rolled down the sword wielder's face as he worked his way through a complicated kata. Leo took a step backwards, again bringing one arm up in a block. This time, he shifted his weight and executed a round house kick, then smoothly spun into a back kick. This kata was one of his favorites. It was a kata that Master Splinter had shown him during his short time with his brothers. Leo practiced the kata every time he was in the dojo. It was one of the few connections he still had to the family he left behind.

* * *

One of the Foot Elite Guard's entered the room. The young master had detected the trident wielder's presence immediately. Leo let the Elite wait as he finished the kata. Saburo stood in the shadows, watching.

Out of the four members of the Foot Elite Guard, Shiro and Saburo had served under Master Shredder's rule the longest. Fourteen and fifteen years, respectively. And during that time, the senior Elite Guard had watched Leonardo grow from a young child into a skilled warrior. A warrior taught by the Shredder and his Elite Guard. Taught by Saburo himself. Saburo knew every kata within the Foot Organization. But Saburo did not know the kata that his young master constantly practiced since his return to the Foot.

Saburo frowned behind his mask as he watched. It had taken some time, but eventually Leonardo had returned to the Foot as their leader. And the young teen ruled with the same iron fist as Master Shredder. But Leo's behavior when he was alone in the dojo spoke volumes as well. It would appear that the Elite's plan had only partially worked. Leonardo may have physically returned to the Foot, but the youth's actions suggested that his heart was elseware, with his brothers.

Saburo's red eyes narrowed. He gripped the trident in his right hand a little harder. _As the leader of the Foot Clan, Leonardo should be one hundred percent loyal to the Foot. No exceptions. Anything less, puts the entire organization at risk._

Finished with his routine, Leonardo sheathed his swords and walked over. The black masked turtle's face was its usual impassive self.

As a sign of respect, Saburo bowed when Leonardo approached. "Young Master."

With a voice devoid of emotion Leonardo demanded. "Report."

"The Mob has agreed to a partnership with the Foot."

Nodding, he grabbed a towel from the nearby bench. Leo wiped the sweat from his arms and neck as he replied. "Good."

Dropping the towel back onto the bench, Leonardo continued. "With the Mob and the Purple Dragons as our allies, the Foot Clan has reclaimed its place as the ruler of the city. Dismissed."

Saburo bowed again before swiftly exiting the dojo.

Leonardo glanced around the room. It has taken six months, but he had finally restored peace and order to the streets of New York City. Turning off the lights in the dojo, Leonardo walked to his bedroom. The constant silence and seclusion that he had once found solace in, now drove him crazy. He missed Michelangelo hiding in the shadows, hoping to catch the eldest off guard with a prank. He longed to spar with, or even argue, yes argue, with Raphael as he challenged Leo's skills and authority. And he missed Donatello's chatter about his latest inventions, even if Leo never did understand what the genius was really talking about. He rubbed the back of his neck. Leo knew very little about what has happened to his family since he left. He was assured that they were ok, but that was about all.

Attempting to prevent the stiffness from settling in, Leo rotated his right shoulder a few times as he walked. How long would his family be ok? The Foot Elite had already used his brothers against him once. What if they did it again? Re-joining the Foot protected his siblings in the short term, but Leo knew that it was not a permanent solution. His family would always be in danger, as long as Leo and the Foot Clan were a presence in New York City.

With a heavy heart, Leo entered his room and sat on the bed. He placed his arms onto his thighs, leaning forward he stared at the floor, deep in thought. The time had finally come for him to return to working on his original plan. Leo had to come up with a way for the Foot to leave his family and him alone, permanently.

* * *

Frustrated with Leonardo's behavior in the dojo, Saburo stormed into the room where his fellow Elite's had gathered. Shiro's head snapped up from the twin bladed sword he was polishing. Immediately recognizing the troubled look on Saburo's face he asked in Japanese. "What is it brother?"

The question caught the attention of their newer Elite Guard teammates. When the TCRI building exploded during the final battle between the turtles and the Shredder, two of the Shredder's Elite Guard had fallen as well. The position of the Elite Guard was highly coveted within the organization. With only four of the deadly ninjas assigned to each branch of the Foot, an opening for the position was rare. Sin'ichi and Shinji had been lucky. Already within the higher ranks, they were selected and trained as the new Elite Guard. As the younger members of the Elite Guard, Sin'ichi and Shinji often turned to their two elders for guidance.

Curious, Sin'ichi placed his spear on the floor as he walked over. Shinji placed his battle axe next to his brother's weapon.

Was something wrong with their young master?

Saburo's voice was stern as he replied in Japanese. "My brothers, we may have a problem."

* * *

 **A/N: It looks like Leo better watch his back. And don't worry Donnie fans, our favorite brainy turtle will show up soon. Virtual apple cider donuts to those who review. And thanks for reading, reviewing and hopefully following and favoriting!**


	6. Mr Fix It

**A/N: Two chapters in one week? Why yes it is. You can thank your fellow reviewers for it. Your reviews keep my plot bunny moving.**

 **And as a thank you, everyone's favorite OC Mira is back. Yay!**

 **Readers reply…*cricket cricket cricket***

 **Flikaroo's plot bunny shakes its head.**

 **Oh well, that's ok guys. I created her and even I don't like her.**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: I own a plushie Leo, and a Leo snuggie, and a Leo mug, but sadly, that is as far as my ownership goes.**

* * *

Chapter 6-Mr. Fix It

Donatello leaned back in his chair. Satisfied, Don took a moment to observe his work on the Triceriton mind probe. It had taken six long months, but the genius turtle had finally finished all of his modifications to the device.

Mira's voice called out from the kitchen. "Don, come and eat."

Pushing back his chair, the purple masked turtle rose. Don headed towards the kitchen to join his roommate for lunch. _Roommate._ Donatello almost snorted at the thought. Spending the past six months, alone, living with his ex-girlfriend Mira, wasn't exactly Donnie's idea of a good time. Sure, at one point in the past Don and Mira had been more than just friends. He had been crazy about the Utrom psychiatrist. And he was ashamed to admit that, even when her true colors emerged, because it turned out that Mira had one shell of a jealous streak, Don would forgive and forget, far too easily.

Leaving the Utroms and Mira, to reunite with his brothers, gave the soft hearted turtle the out he was looking for. After all, Mira and he couldn't exactly continue dating if he lived on Earth with his brothers, and she returned to the Utrom homeworld with her people. It was the perfect break up. But the plan had been flawed. Mira didn't leave planet Earth with her fellow Utroms. Instead, the manipulative little squid like alien had managed to worm her way back into Don's new life.

Having arrived at the kitchen, Donatello sat in a chair directly across from his roommate. Don's thoughts continued to wander. _It's been six months living apart from my brothers. I know that Leo is with the Foot Clan. And Mikey is still at home with Master Splinter. But Raph, he's still out storming the streets looking for revenge on Commander Mozar._

A wave of guilt washed over Donatello. _Raph, he was so mad at me. I didn't even get a chance to explain. I never intended for the Triceriton Mind Probe to become a weapon._ Donnie began twirling his spoon in the soup as it slowly grew cold. _I've got to find him. Tell him the truth._

Taking a distracted sip of his now cold soup, Donatello's thoughts continued. _Mikey, he was so hurt with Leo and Raph leaving. And then I left too. I can't even imagine what he must be feeling._ Not wanting to attract Mira's attention,Donatello held back a sigh. _Leo might be with the Foot, but at least I know that he is safe, for now. And living with Master Splinter, so is Mikey._ Donatello's hand clenched into a fist. _I can fix this, all of this. I just have to find Raph first. He's the one at the greatest risk right now._

For once, turtle luck was on his side. Donatello tuned back into Mira's conversation at the right time.

"Now that the device is finally finished, I've already sent word to the Triceriton's. They are arriving in the next day or two to pick up the device."

Donatello nodded as he continued to eat his cold soup.

Mira frowned at her quiet roommate. For weeks Mira has struggled to recapture Don's attention. When Don had appeared on her doorstep six months ago, she had been thrilled. At first, Mira thought Don had finally come to his senses and was ready to rekindle their relationship.

She had been wrong.

Mira has tried cooking, cleaning, helping Don repair the Triceriton mind probe, giving him space, getting into his personal space; anything and everything she could think of. All her efforts were in vain. It was like Donatello had become a different turtle. He always had a faraway look in his eyes. Seemed lost in his own thoughts. Clearly his brothers leaving Master Splinter had affected her boyfriend deeply. Mira was at a loss on how to reclaim Don for herself. If only she could take him away and get him to forget about his brothers.

Yet none of that mattered right now. For the first time in many weeks, she had at least some of Don's attention, and she wasn't going to waste the opportunity.

Mira leaned forward, the excitement radiating off of her. "And guess who's coming with them? Commander Mozar."

Donatello looked up. He raised an eyeridge. "What?"

Encouraged by Don's response Mira said. "Not only is he coming to collect the device personally, but, he also wants to meet you."

At this, Donatello put his spoon back into the cold soup. No longer interested in eating, Donatello fully focused on Mira for the first time since sitting down for lunch. "Meet me? Why?"

With a shrug of her shoulders, Mira continued. "I don't really know. He said he wanted to meet the brilliant engineer behind the Triceriton Mind Probe. Maybe he has another device he wants us to build for him?"

Mira began to ramble. "Or perhaps he wants to hire us full-time. We could travel around the galaxy with the Triceritons! Think of all the worlds we could see Don. And the inventions we could create with access to all of that Triceriton technology."

Donatello had to keep from grimacing at the thought. It was bad enough that the purple masked turtle had to live with Mira, fixing the damaged mind probe, while he struggled to think of a plan to fix his broken family. The last thing Don wanted, was to help the Triceritons anymore than he already had.

Once again tuning out his roommate, Donatello picked up his spoon and continued eating his cold soup. His thoughts began to wander back to his brothers. _Wait a minute. Commander Mozar is coming to Earth to pick up the mind probe. And Raphael left the lair to find the Commander. This might be my opportunity to finally reconnect with Raph._

Donatello and Mira continued lunch, each absorbed in their own thoughts. The only sound in the room was Mira's nonstop rambling about traveling the galaxy with Don by her side.

* * *

 **A/N: One more plot building chapter to come. Then hold onto your hats folks, it's going to be a wild ride. Virtual slice of pecan pie to those who review!**


	7. Let's Play A Game

**A/N: Thank you so much for your favorites, follows and reviews. This is the last chapter before the action picks up.**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics. Computer chatting is in bold.**

 **Disclaimer: I keep using Mikey's puppy dog eyes, yet no one has given me ownership of the turtles.**

* * *

Chapter 7-Let's Play A Game

On the monitor the cursor continued to blink.

 **It's your move.**

Seated in front of the computer, Leonardo's fingers repeatedly drummed on the Shredder's desk. Playing online chess was one of the few ways that Leo had managed to stay sane these past few months. Except tonight, the young leader was distracted. He was only half paying attention to the chess match on the screen. Instead, his thoughts kept reverting back to pondering the latest Intel. _A Triceriton warship is on it's way to Earth. The Triceritons!_

Leo's eyes narrowed beneath his mask. _But why are they coming to Earth? And is Commander Mozar with them?_ Leo went back to tapping his fingers on the desk. It looked like his plan to leave the Foot Clan might have to wait a little longer. Leo bit the bottom of his lip. Unless he could somehow manage to use the arrival of the Triceritons to his advantage?

One of the talents that made Leonardo a natural leader, was his strategic abilities. Not only could the black clad teen come up with a plan for any scenario, he could also adapt those plans quickly.

Leo moved the knight on the chess board on his screen. The reply was immediate.

 **You're distracted tonight.**

A small smile spread across Leonardo's face. His opponent knew him well, a little too well. But Leo wasn't the only one whose thoughts were not one hundred percent focused on the game in front of him.

He quickly typed his reply.

 **I could say the same for you. Is everything ok?**

A pawn moved across the chess board to take his rook. His opponent's reply popped on the screen.

 **You've got to stop worrying all the time. Everything's fine. You are planning something aren't you?**

Leonardo smirked. When wasn't he planning something? Used to thinking ahead of his foes, Leo scanned the chess board. Suddenly his eyes widened. Victory was in sight. The capture of his rook had left Leo's knight open for the counter attack.

Moving the piece into position, Leo typed his reply.

 **I may have an idea or two.**

Leo watched the screen in anticipation. His opponent stepped right into the trap. The capture of his bishop, left Leo's queen free for check mate.

The game chimed, signaling check mate.

The response was immediate.

 **That's the third game in a row tonight. If your plan is even half as good as your chess skills, then it's guaranteed to be a win.**

Leonardo smiled at the praise, even though his opponent could not see it. It had been six months of strategizing, and then discarding, one scenario after another. In the end, Leo kept returning to his original plan. Ironically, the idea stemmed from the teachings of the Shredder himself. There was only one way Leo could ever leave the Foot Clan. And the arrival of the Triceritons, might have just given him the opportunity he has been looking for.

Staring at the computer screen, Leo's fingers hesitated over the keyboard for a moment. He remembered when the Elite Guard had first started to pressure him to rejoin the Foot. For a while, Leo choose to hide the Foot's threats from his brothers, and his father. Master Splinter had not been pleased. First, sensei tried to get him to talk with a punishment of knuckle push-ups. Leo grimaced. He hated knuckle push-ups. Like Mikey, if he had to be punished, he preferred back flips.

After Leo's punishment and the daily training session with his four sons, Splinter had kept Leo for a one-on-one lecture afterwards. The frustrated father tried to coax his stubborn son to speak to his family.

Leo recalled Master Splinter's advice.

" _My son, should you ever feel the burden of leader is more than you can bear alone, do not hesitate to call upon the strength of your brothers."_

Leo's fingers continued to hover over the keys. The plan was just a little bit crazy. Ok, actually it was completely crazy. And it was definitely very risky. As much as he wanted to, Leo knew that in this particular situation, Master Splinter was right. Leo couldn't pull this plan off alone. At least, not the setup itself. He was going to need the help of someone with technical expertise.

Leo bit the bottom of his lip again. It was going to be difficult to convince his opponent to help, yet, to also stay out of it. The black masked turtle couldn't bear the thought of putting his family, his real clan, in danger. This whole mess, it was all his fault. But Leo was determined to fix this, on his own.

Squaring his shoulders, Leonardo prepared to tackle his opponent's logical mind. His fingers hovered over the keyboard.

The time had come to play a new game. Except now Leonardo planned to capture more than just mere pieces from a chess match. Because this time, the stakes were life or death. Yet, like a game of chess, it was all just a matter of getting his pawns into position.

Then it would be Checkmate.

* * *

 **A/N: This chapter was deliberately vague, but I'm sure you can guess who Leo is playing chess with anyway. And I'll admit, this isn't my favorite chapter. In fact, this chapter held up this story for about a month. Yet it is necessary for the plot. To make up for it, the next chapter will be up in a day or two. Virtual Rice Krispie Treats to those who review.**


	8. Meet And Greet

**A/N: What's this? A new chapter, the very next day? Yep!**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: If I write enough stories, maybe they'll rethink giving me ownership of the turtles? Ok probably not. But one can always dream, right?**

* * *

Chapter 8-Meet And Greet

Standing next to Mira, Donatello was doing a pretty good imitation of Michelangelo. The normally calm and reserved turtle could not stop fidgeting. Shifting his weight again, he watched the Triceriton warship as it approached.

The impressive ship landed without a sound. The doors opened smoothly. A walkway emerged. Two very large, and very unfriendly looking, Triceriton warriors walked towards them. The excitement radiating off of Mira, only served to increase Donnie's unease. The purple masked turtle's instincts were screaming at him to run. And right now, running away, while adding in a girly scream that would have made Michelangelo proud, sounded like a very good idea. It took every bit of Donnie's self-control to prevent himself from turning on his heels and running as fast as he could in the opposite direction.

The two Triceriton soldiers flanked Donnie and Mira on either side.

The Triceriton's ordered. "Come."

 _Gulp._

Trying his best to remain calm, Donnie followed the group inside.

* * *

The small group entered inside a large docking bay of the warship. Unable to breathe the Triceriton atmosphere, Mira and Donatello were fitted with environmental breathers before proceeding deeper within the vessel.

Despite his unease, Donatello couldn't not help but look around in awe at the warship. The technology of the Triceriton's looked advanced. A few of the items reminded Don of Utrom technology, but the vast majority of the machines and gadgets Don saw were new to him. As a peaceful race, most of the Utrom's advancements were focused on science and exploration. Clearly the Triceriton's were a warrior species. Many of the equipment surrounding the group suggested that their use was for combat.

After turning down a number of hallways, the group eventually entered a command center. Lost in his thoughts, Donatello missed the order from the Triceriton soldier.

The order was repeated. "Bow before the Commander."

A hard shove from behind caused Don to stumble to his knees. The motion snapping the curious turtle out of his thoughts.

* * *

Commander Mozar sat in his chair, awaiting the arrival of his guests. The Triceriton Republic had been defeated by the Rebel forces. His superior, Prime Leader Zanramon, was being held as a prisoner. The Commander clenched his hands into fists. _That blasted Triceriton Traximus has remolded the great Triceriton Republic, into a Federation._ The Commander sneered. _A democracy! Equal voices, equal rights! All Triceritons are not created equal. Only the strong should be allowed to survive._

Acquiring a modified Triceriton mind probe was Commander Mozar's first step towards reclaiming the Triceriton Republic. But the mind probe alone would not be enough. Mozar needed more weapons. It was essential to his plan that the Commander meet the engineer behind the ingenious device. Someone possessing such a valuable skill set could be a critical factor for his plan to overthrow Traximus and seize control of the Triceriton Federation. The Commander intended to make the talented engineer behind the Triceriton mind probe an offer that they simply could not refuse.

Sitting in his chair, the Commander watched the figures approaching from the shadows. Entering the light first, he immediately recognized Mira. She was the overly excitable Utrom whom he purchased his first Triceriton mind probe from.

Giving a quick bow, the enthusiastic Utrom started chatting away as she approached Mozar. In her hands was the updated device.

The Commander immediately tuned out Mira's chatter as the Utrom approached. He stared in shock at the figure that stumbled to its knees, as they entered the light.

The Commander's eyes widened. "A terrapin warrior?"

Commander Mozar rose out of his chair quickly. His eyes narrowed in anger as he spat out. "What is that terrapin scum doing on my ship?!"

Taking a step back, Mira's eyes widened. _Why is he panicking over Don?_

Mira tried to defuse the situation. "Commander Mozar, this is Donatello. He is the Utrom inventor that developed the Triceriton mind probe."

The Commander disagreed as he stalked towards the kneeling turtle. The anger radiating off of him. "He looks like terrapin scum to me."

Beginning to panic, Mira quickly searched her memories for why the Triceriton Commander would react so harshly to Donatello. _Wait a minute, his brother Raphael. He was a soldier for the Rebellion wasn't he?_

Mira took a step towards Donatello, but was stopped by the Triceriton soldiers. _I've got to convince him that Don's not a threat._ She pleaded. "Commander Mozar, please. You've got him confused with the terrapin Raphael. This is Donatello, his younger brother."

Donatello stared at the floor, praying that for just once, Mira would keep her Stupid. Mouth. Shut. _This was a bad idea. I knew this was a bad idea. Think Donnie, think!_

But Donatello's internal pleading was in vain. His mind could not focus as the enraged Triceriton Commander approached him.

His eyes fixated on the floor, Don could feel the fury radiating off of Mozar. Don's stomach sank at Mozar's next words.

"Did you just say that this terrapin scum, is Raphael's brother?"

* * *

 **A/N: Hopefully this chapter makes up for the last one. It certainly looks like Donnie is in a tight spot right now. Virtual Krispy Kreme donuts to those who review!**


	9. Run Donnie Run

**A/N: Thank you to those who reviewed. Your reviews keep my plot bunny moving. So let's see if Donnie can get himself out of the mess that Mira started.**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: I keep checking my email, but alas no messages declaring ownership of the turtles can be found. Darn it!**

* * *

Chapter 9-Run Donnie Run

Donatello knew he was in trouble. Big trouble. Here he was, stuck on a Triceriton warship. Kneeling before an enraged Triceriton Commander. The same Triceriton that had a personal vendetta against his red tempered brother. And Mozar had just found out that Donatello, was Raphael's younger sibling.

Donatello's chances of escape right now were slim. Well, actually they were even less than slim, heck he'd already ran the math. Don calculated that his chances of getting out of this predicament? Shell, he had a better chance at winning the lottery. Clenching his fists Donnie subtly shifted his weight. The odds were stacked against him, but he had to at least try.

Commander Mozar barked out his question as he reached forward to grab Donatello's chin. "Where is your brother?"

At the same time that the Commander reached forward, Donatello placed his fists on the floor behind him and leaned back. This caused Mozar to grasp at empty air. Continuing his momentum, Donatello uncurled his fists. Donnie continued to fall backwards, with his hands flat, he was able to pop up into a hand stand. Immediately bringing his legs down into a split, Donatello twisted on his hands. He used his heel to kick Mozar in the chin, before pushing himself up off the floor, and landing on his feet.

Taking advantage of everyone's surprise, Donnie quickly pulled the bo from his back and gave it a twirl. Continuing to move fast, Don hit the two Triceriton soldiers with three powerful blows each. Two strikes to the chest, followed by a back handed blow to the chin. Not waiting to see if the hits were enough, Donatello turned his back on the room. He bolted for the door.

For a moment, everyone was frozen in place, stunned into silence.

Commander Mozar was the first to recover. "Seize him!"

Mira ran past the stunned Triceritons, screaming. "Don, wait!"

* * *

The lights in the hallways flashed red. An alarm began to sound. _Move Donnie, move!_ Don winced at the loud alarm as he raced through the passageways of the Triceriton warship. The ship felt like a giant maze and everything looked the same. But it didn't matter. Panicked, Don kept on moving. _I've got to get off this ship!_

Donatello heard heavy footsteps quickly approaching his area. Glancing around, he recognized a door panel to his right. Ripping the cover off, Donnie began some creative rewiring. A door slammed shut ahead of him. Cries of frustration were muffled behind the heavy metal door. With a satisfied smirk, Don turned and raced down a different hallway.

 _Come on Donatello, you need a plan. What's the plan?_ No longer able to hide his panic, Donatello let out a frustrated cry of his own.

"Argh!"

Leonardo was always the one to come up with a plan. Sure, Don could come up with plans too, when given enough time. But thinking on the fly, that was his oldest brother's specialty, not his.

Lost in his thoughts Donnie stumbled into a large room and skidded to a halt. He was quickly surrounded by Triceriton soldiers. Taking a defensive stance, Donatello tightly gripped the bo that was once again in his nimble hands. Donnie's eyes frantically searched the room. He had to find a way to protect his shell against all of these soldiers. _This is not good! This is so not good!_

A familiar voice carried out from behind the soldiers. The soldiers moved aside to let Mozar pass. Following him was Mira. She struggled against the grip of one of the Triceriton soldiers.

Mozar said. "Surrender now and she won't be harmed."

Donatello narrowed his eyes, but made no other move.

Commander Mozar grabbed a blaster from one of the soldiers. Turning he held the weapon against Mira's chest. Donnie's heart sank. The chest is where the Utrom sits inside the exosuit. One shot from the blaster, and she would be killed, instantly.

The Commander's voice threatened. "Now!"

With a growl Donnie dropped his bo. Two Triceriton soldiers rushed forward. They quickly cuffed Donnie's hands behind his shell.

The Commander smiled as he walked towards Donnie.

Mozar shifted his aching jaw from side to side. A bruise had already begun to form. "I believe I owe you a little payback, terrapin scum."

Before he could react the Commander lashed out. The blaster hit Donatello in the temple. Don felt his body go limp, as his world faded to black.

* * *

 **A/N: It was a good try Donnie, a good try. Virtual Vanilla Shakes (or vanilla malts, yum!) to those who review.**


	10. Terrapin Scum

**A/N: Did you know, I treasure each and every review? Thank you to those who have reviewed, and if you haven't yet, I bribe with virtual treats.**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: Even in my dreams, I do not own the turtles.**

* * *

Chapter 10-Terrapin Scum

Donatello woke up to what felt like a million jackhammers hammering away inside his brain. Sitting up, Donnie winced as he touched the side of his head. The lump that had begun to form was tender. Donnie's intelligent eyes roamed the room as he tried to organize his thoughts. _What happened? Where am I?_

Hoping it would not aggravate his headache, Donnie slowly scanned the room. He was in a cell. Asleep in the corner, was Mira. Suddenly, the memories came rushing back. Don kneeling in front of Commander Mozar. Mira confessing Raphael was Don's brother. His failed attempt to escape from the Triceriton warship. Donnie felt his shoulders slump forward. _Oh shell. I'm a prisoner!_

The sound of approaching footsteps caused Donatello to tense up. The terrapin prisoner clenched his hands into fists. _Well, at least my hands aren't cuffed anymore._ Prepared to be difficult, Donatello watched the guards approach his cell.

The Triceriton ordered. "Kneel, terrapin scum."

Donatello raised an eyeridge. _What is with their obsession with kneeling?_

The prisoner clenched his fists tighter. If they wanted him to kneel, they were going to be in for one shell of a fight.

Unfortunately, the terrapin prisoner had failed to notice the arm band around his bicep. Waiting to see what they would do, Donnie stared at the curious device in the soldier's hands. The guard pressed a button. An electrical shock began from Don's arm and quickly spread throughout his body. Donatello cried out in pain as he was brought to his knees. It felt like hundreds of fire ants were storming inside the veins in his body. Struggling to catch his breath, the guards were able to easily handcuff their prisoner. Dragging Donatello to his feet, they shoved him out of the room.

Donatello was brought to the bridge. With a guard standing on either side, Donnie was once again forced to his knees. _What a surprise, more kneeling._

From his command chair, Mozar demanded. "Where is your brother?"

Donatello answered. "I don't know."

The irony on the situation wasn't lost on Donatello. He really didn't know where his brother Raphael was.

The Commander nodded to the guards. Stuck on his knees, with his hands once again cuffed behind his shell, Donnie was unable to defend himself. The blaster struck the back of his head, causing the prisoner to let out a cry.

Mozar repeated the question. "Where is your brother?"

This time Donnie growled his reply. "I. Don't. Know."

The Commander walked over. "I'm sure your brother has talked about his time among my people. The Triceriton Civil War. The battle between the great Triceriton Republic, and the irritating Triceriton Rebellion. Families were torn apart. Lives were crushed."

The Commander paused for effect. "Prisoners were broken."

Donatello remained silent. He didn't like where this conversation was going.

The Commander kneeled so that he was eye level with his prisoner. Mozar did nothing to keep the smugness out of his voice. "You are not my first terrapin prisoner."

The Commander reached out. Grabbing Donnie's chin, he forced the prisoner to look into his cold eyes. "Tell me, terrapin scum. Are you ready to find out if you are as strong as your brother?"

 _Oh shell._

* * *

Mira watched in horror as Don was unceremoniously tossed into their cell. His green skin was littered with cuts and bruises. She quickly scrambled over and rested Don's head in her lap. At a loss on what else to do, she kept her voice low, hoping her mumbled apologies would bring at least some comfort to the weary ninja. Through his pain filled haze, Don tried to think. But he couldn't recall the last time, or any time, he had been filled with this much agony.

The pain. Donatello needed some way to block out the pain. Recalling one of Master Splinter's meditation sessions, Donatello tried to focus his mind. He couldn't think until he managed to block out the pain. Normally, Donnie's inquisitive mind jumped around, making meditation difficult. Thankfully, Donnie's stubborn streak kicked in. Eventually he was able to focus. With his pain reduced to a dull throb, Don began to shift his attention to their current predicament. _We have to get out of here. But how?_

The solution suddenly appeared out of the blue. Just like his big brother's mask.

With rising clarity, Donnie pulled away from Mira. His eyes hardened. "Leo."

Mira flinched at the unexpected statement. Their situation was bad enough. The last thing she needed, was for Don to start talking about his freaking brothers too.

The determination was evident in Don's voice. "Commander Mozar isn't going to rest until he finds Raphael." He continued to slide away from Mira's comforting hands.

With every inch that Donatello slid away from her Mira subtly tensed. Mira thought she had hid her dislike of Don's two eldest brother's well. But the mutant turtle and the Utrom had been friends for too long. Don knew Mira, almost as well as he knew himself.

Once again, Master Splinter popped into Donatello's mind. He remembered one of the last conversations he had with his father, before this all started. The confused turtle had gone to Splinter frustrated and looking for advice. Not only was Mira once again back in his life, but Donatello seemed to be unable to do anything to stop himself from forgiving her time and time again.

Donnie recalled Master Splinter's advice.

" _Sometimes the strongest word, is to say No."_

From beneath his purple mask, Don's intelligent, yet pain filled eyes focused on his fellow prisoner. It was time for Mira to face the truth.

Don took a deep breath. He had avoided this talk for far too long. Don took another breath, gathering his courage as he stared into Mira's eyes. "I know you don't like Leonardo or Raphael."

Mira's eyes widened. She's seen that look on Don's face before. There was no changing what he was about to say.

With his resolve in place, Donnie plowed onward. "Mira, it's over. We've been over, for a long time. You've gone too far this time. Ratting out Raph to Commander Mozar. Constantly meddling with the bonding time between me and my brothers. And I know that it was you who planted the seed with Leo. You were the one who first suggested that the only way to restore order to the streets of New York City, was to take control of the Foot. You started all of this."

Mira opened her mouth to protest, then promptly closed it. As usual, he was right. Her jealous nature had always been her Achilles heel.

Donnie was losing his focus. Squeezing his eyes shut against the wave of pain, Donatello struggled to maintain control just a little longer. Taking a shaky breath he said. "I don't know where Raphael is. And Mikey isn't familiar with Triceriton technology. He won't be able to rescue us on his own. But Leo, he leads an entire clan of ninjas. He might be able to help us."

Donatello began to tremble, the pain threatening to take over. "We've got to contact Leonardo."

Mira was frozen in place. Her beloved Don's world was falling apart, and it was all her fault. Her wide eyes began to fill with tears. Despite months of trying, Mira could no longer ignore the truth. Don's place was not at her side. Donatello's place, was with his brothers.

Heartbroken, Mira nodded in agreement. _Ok._

* * *

 **A/N: Donnie it's about time you kicked Mira to the curb. And speaking of Leonardo, we'll be checking in on him in the next chapter. And to the Raph and Mikey fans, I haven't forgotten about the warm colored brothers, they'll be coming up soon too. Virtual apple crisp to those who review!**


	11. Elite Planning

**A/N: Thank you to those who have reviewed. Reviews are the fuel for my plot bunny. And speaking of plot bunnies, this chapter was supposed to be all about Leo, then the plot bunny had other ideas.**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: I had a dream that I owned the turtles, then I woke up.**

* * *

Chapter 11-Elite Planning

Leonardo stared at his reflection on the computer screen. It wasn't uncommon for his opponent to arrive late for their daily game of chess. Leo's intelligent brother would often get swept away in whatever inventions he was creating. And after agreeing to help Leo with his plan, his opponent had probably lost track of the time.

Leo crossed his arms in front of his plastron. He unconsciously began rubbing his hands up and down as he leaned back in the chair. The office was warm, yet Leo felt a disturbance in the air. He just couldn't put his finger on what the problem was. Rolling his head from side to side, the black clad teen began working on the kinks in his neck. His eyes glanced down, and then Leo wished he hadn't looked at his arm. Out in the open, for all to see, was the tattoo of the Foot Clan. Twisting his arm, Leo gave the symbol on his bicep a hard glare. The emblem he had once worn with pride, he now loathed. It was because of the Foot Clan, that Leonardo was no longer with his brothers. He raked his nails along the symbol. Leo might be stuck with the Clan's mark on his skin, but nothing lasts forever.

Before long, fifteen minutes had passed, and then it was thirty. Leo let out a sigh. _Looks like there will be no chess game today._ Finally, giving up on a game of chess for the evening, Leonardo headed to the dojo. With nothing else to do, Leo decided to put in some meditation time to help settle his mind. If that didn't work, he would follow that up with an extra training session to burn off some of his nervous energy.

Walking down the hallway of Foot Headquarters, Leonardo's thoughts puzzled over his latest problem. He needed to know why the Triceritons were coming to Earth. And he had to find out if Commander Mozar was among them. If the Commander came to Earth, the young leader would have to figure out a way to protect his family, especially Raphael. Leo frowned. His plan to leave the Foot had been so simple. But with all of these unanswered questions, things could become complicated, quickly.

Pushing open the dojo doors, Leo entered. He walked over to the meditation mat. He crossed his legs as he lowered his body to the floor. He placed his hands on his knees and took a deep breath. At least his brothers were all safe, for now.

* * *

Hidden in the shadows, Saburo and Shiro observed their young master. The black clad turtle had begun his dojo session with a restless attempt at meditation. Then Leonardo moved on to stretching and now he was performing a routine of katas. Leonardo easily moved from one kata to the next. The ninja moved with his usual precision and grace. As Leo finished his kata he began anew, this time with a sequence that Shiro was not familiar with.

Saburo's voice remained low, as he whispered in Japanese. The frustration was clear. "That kata is not one of the Foot."

Shiro frowned, and then nodded in agreement. Indeed it was not any kata that he was familiar with from his time with the Foot Clan. Yet one or two katas that were not of the Foot, was hardly a reason to accuse their young master as a traitor. But combined with Leonardo's rebellious past, this could signal a problem.

Leaving their posts, the two Elite Guards headed back to their comrades.

* * *

Disturbed by what they saw, the trident and sword wielding Elites entered the room.

Sin'ichi and Shinji rose from their seats. Their curiosity was written all over their unmasked faces.

 _Well?_

Shiro spoke first. "Our young master is practicing forms that are not of the Foot Clan."

Sin'ichi crossed his arms in front of his chest. "This is a problem."

Shinji began to spin his battle axe around in a lazy circle as he agreed. "A leader must be one hundred percent loyal to his Clan."

Shiro stepped closer. "Leonardo still longs for his brothers."

Saburo turned to Shiro. "This is not the first time our young master has strayed from his responsibilities to the Foot."

Placing his twin bladed sword on the table, Shiro nodded as his eyes lit up in recognition. "I remember."

Sin'ichi and Shinji looked at the two elder Elite's, the question on their faces. The details about Leonardo's upbringing as the Shredder's son were not well known to the lower ranking members of the Foot. New to the position of Elite Guard, any information Sin'ichi and Shinji had gathered over the years was limited. Mostly from rumors that had passed throughout the clan over time. The specifics of the mutant's younger years were only known to the Shredder, the members of his personal Elite Guard during that time frame, and Leonardo himself.

Saburo said. "When Leonardo was younger, he befriended one of the Foot soldiers."

Sitting down, Shiro said. "Yuto. A skilled warrior. Rose within the organization quickly. The young soldier had all the makings of becoming an Elite Guard. Until the fool fell in love. He tried to leave the clan."

Sin'ichi and Shinji were intrigued by the tale. It wasn't very often that the two elder Elite's spoke about the past.

Sin'ichi asked. "What happened?"

Shiro traced a finger along the sharp steel in front of him before continuing. "Master Shredder ordered young Leonardo to assassinate Yuto."

Clearing his throat, Saburo took over. "He disobeyed the Shredder's direct order. The child let Yuto live. Then he tried to cover it up. Master Shredder was furious with his rebellious son. We brought Yuto back to Foot Headquarters. Master Shredder wanted to teach his son a lesson. Restrained, the child was forced to watch as Master Shredder slowly tortured Yuto. Using Leonardo's own blade."

Shinji looked at his fellow Elites as his mind processed the tale, thinking outloud. "Our young master has a history of being loyal to those he views as friend or family. The problem is the brothers."

Shinji's eyes widened. "If the brothers were gone, the only family our young master would have left, is the Foot Clan."

Sin'ichi interjected. "We are honor bound not to harm them. It was the condition we agreed upon in order for the young master to return to the Foot."

Fingering his twin bladed sword again, Shiro had already caught on to Shinji's train of thought. "We cannot harm the brothers, but that does not mean that someone else cannot."

Sin'ichi's eyes flashed with determination. "We must find someone who can."

Excited, Saburo rose from his seat and grabbed his trident. "There has been talk on the streets that someone is looking for the red turtle. A Commander Mozar."

Surprised at this information, Shinji asked. "Does the young master know of this?"

Saburo shook his head. "No. The report came in with the last patrol. Our young master has yet to be informed."

Shiro said. "I have heard that the Commander is not of this world. He should not be too hard to find."

Shinji turned to his brothers. "Then it is settled. We find the red turtle. Lead him to this Commander Mozar. The off worlder will do the rest."

In agreement with their plan, the four Elite's quickly left the room. They were ready to begin the hunt.

* * *

 **A/N: Speaking about the red masked brother, in the next chapter we'll check in on Raph and Mikey. Why not leave a review before you go? I bribe with virtual treats. Virtual Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing to those who do.**


	12. Something's Missing

**A/N: Nope, I have nothing to say this time. Not a single thing. Mum's the word. (Which of course means that something is about to happen.)**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: Maybe in an alternate future I'll own the turtles, but until I can find that timeline, I do not.**

* * *

Chapter 12-Something's Missing

Raphael's footsteps echoed throughout the lair. The red masked turtle was on his way to the dojo for a little one on one time with his punching bag. The excessive silence was beginning to drive him crazy. Raph never realized how noisy the lair could be when his three brothers were home. While often the quietest turtle, even Leonardo was not always completely silent. The eldest brother could not keep the sounds of his katanas slicing the air, from carrying outside the dojo as he practiced. Thumps, bangs, and occasionally a cry of frustration, or a yelp of glee, would emerge from Donatello's laboratory as he worked on his latest inventions. And Michelangelo, well the youngest brother was typically the loudest out of all of them. The sounds of his video games often fought for dominance over the orange turtle's shouts directed towards the tv screen. Yet today, the lair was quiet. Too quiet. Even Mikey was silent. Raphael stopped in mid stride. _Wait a minute? Why is Mikey so quiet?_

The red clad turtle slowly circled the lair. His eyes and ears searching for any sign of his missing brother. _Where is that knucklehead?_ Halfway through a second pass of the lair, Raphael stopped. Peeking out from the shadows on the second floor, Raph caught a flash of orange. _There he is!_

Raphael leapt up the second floor, and approached his unusually quiet brother. Hidden mostly in the shadows was an unusually still Michelangelo. On the floor Klunk was curled up next to Mikey's foot. The orange cat appeared to be fast asleep, suggesting that Mikey had been standing there for some time. And Raph's orange clad brother was doing a pretty good interpretation of a statue.

Mikey had placed himself in front of Donatello's bedroom door. Curious, Raph asked. "Mikey, what are you doing up here? It's almost time for patrol."

Michelangelo didn't turn to look at his older brother. His voice was so soft, Raph almost missed the question. "Do you think he's alright?"

Disliking the doubt Mikey's question implied, Raph gruffly said. "Of course bro."

Raphael had learned from April and Master Splinter, that Mikey had not taken the loss of his brother's well over these past six months. Raph looked closer at Michelangelo, studying his brother. The darker orange in the fabric around his brother's eyes gave away his current state of mind. Mikey might have been thrilled to have his red masked brother home, but he still longed for his missing siblings.

Raph's heart sunk. _Oh Mikey._

Leaning closer, Raph placed an arm around Mikey's shoulders. He gave him a squeeze. "I've already told you Mikey, Donnie's a smart turtle. He can take care of himself."

Mikey glanced at his older brother. "How are we going to find him?"

Raphael was at a loss. He didn't really know how they were going to find Donatello. But he wasn't about to admit that to Michelangelo.

"Easy bro, we start looking for him."

The distraught turtle began to tremble underneath Raphael's arm. Turning, Raph pulled his brother into a fierce hug. Mikey was upset about more than just Donatello's absence.

In a shaky voice, Mikey mumbled against his brother's plastron. "I a-ac-accused him. Of doing nothing. Nothing to stop Leo from leaving. A-An-And then I b-bl-blamed him. I b-bl-blamed him for you leaving too." A sob broke free. "I t-to-told h-hi-him it was h-hi-his job to fix it. To fix us. A-An-And n-no-now D-Don-Donnie's g-go-gone. A-And it's all m-my f-fa-fault."

Raphael began to wonder exactly when Michelangelo had picked up Leonardo's guilt tripping habit. _One brother with a tendency to blame themselves is more than enough. This needs to stop, and it stops right now._

Raph pulled out of the embrace. He gripped Mikey shoulders hard, shaking him to emphasize his point. "Stop it. Stop it right now. Donnie didn't leave just because of you. If anyone should blame themselves for Donnie leaving, it should be me. I'm the one who called him a traitor." Raph's voice cracked. "I'm the one who disowned him as my brother."

Suddenly the tides turned, and Raph found himself the one held in a fierce embrace. Trying to hold back his own tears, Raph fiercely promised. "We are going to find Donnie. And we are going to apologize profusely, for being a bunch of shell heads. Then the THREE of us, are going to bring our even bigger of a shell head Fearless Leader home."

Mikey looked at Raph, the hope written all over his face. Donatello was still missing and Leonardo was stuck with the Foot Clan. But at least Raphie had returned. And that, was a very good start.

* * *

Leonardo listened intently to the report from the Elite Guards standing in front of him. Usually, it was the two elder Elites that reported in to the young master. But tonight, it was Sin'ichi and Shinji, who recapped the events from the Foot's recent patrol. Apparently, the Elites had split into two teams. The elder Elites, Saburo and Shiro, were still on their way back to Foot Headquarters.

Having spent the past ten years with them, Leonardo preferred the reports from the elder Elites. After losing his friend Yuto when he was younger, Leonardo kept to himself during the remainder of his time with the Foot. The two younger Elites were still new to the position of the Elite Guard. Leonardo wasn't as familiar with Shinji and Sin'ichi. The young master was still learning how to read the body language of the two younger Elites.

Leonardo stared at Shinji's red eyes as he spoke. It was as he feared. The Triceriton, Commander Mozar, was on Earth. But the Elites information failed to explain _why_ the Triceriton had arrived.

Despite his rising anxiety, Leonardo struggled to remain calm. He was worried for his brothers. Raphael's hatred for the Triceriton Commander was no secret. And if Commander Mozar felt the same way, well it didn't take a genius to figure out the rest. If the Commander found out that Raphael was on Earth, all of Leo's younger brothers could be in trouble.

Nodding at the end of the report, Leonardo questioned the Elite in Japanese. "Tell me Shinji, did any of the rumors mention why this off worlder came to Earth?"

Shinji shook his head as he lied in Japanese. "No young master."

Leonardo turned to Sin'ichi, repeating the question. His reply was the same.

With nothing else to be gained from their presence, Leonardo said. "Very well, dismissed."

The two Elite's bowed and silently left the room.

Leonardo watched the younger Elites as they left. _Something's not right._ Leo walked behind the desk and sat down. He pressed his fingers and thumbs together, making a triangle. Leo's sixth sense was going wild. _Saburo and Shiro are still not back yet._ And then there was that incomplete message from his chess opponent. Leo couldn't figure out what it meant and he had been unable to get in touch with Donatello.

Narrowing his eyes, Leo rose out of his chair. _Something about tonight's events is not adding up. I cannot wait for the Commander to make the first move. I need to protect my brothers._

Leonardo grabbed his katanas from a nearby table. Quickly sheathing the blades, he briskly walked out of the room.

The time for waiting was over.

* * *

Donatello was once again on his knees before Commander Mozar. The Commander reached back and struck him again. "Where is Raphael?"

The question never changed. And neither did Donatello's answer. Spitting out blood, he groaned. "I. Don't. Know."

The Commander's eyes blazed with fury. The purple clad turtle was stubborn, he had to admit that. But everyone could be broken. Sometimes it was just a matter of finding the right motivation.

Commander Mozar barked out.

"Bring her in."

Donatello's eyes widened as Mira was dragged into the room.

Mozar walked over to the Utrom inside the exosuit. "If you won't tell me where your brother is, I will kill her."

Donatello wanted to scream in frustration. Mira's big mouth had started all of this. And he really didn't know where Raph was.

Donatello growled again. "I. Don't. Know."

The Commander ripped open the shirt. He yanked Mira out of her exosuit. The Utrom began to struggle and cry as the Commander gripped harder.

"I won't ask you again terrapin scum. Tell me where you brother is. Or say good bye to your friend."

Donatello's heart fell to his stomach. He was stuck. He could never give the Commander the answer he wanted. And despite everything she has done, Mira was still Don's friend. For once he didn't know what to do. He had to do something to save her. Maybe he could lie. Send the Commander on a wild hunt looking for Raph. He would be screwed when the Triceriton realized that it was a dead end, but at least it would save Mira right now.

As if she could read his mind, Mira's eyes locked with Donatello's. It was her fault they were in this mess. And she had already lost Donatello to his brothers. She had nothing left to live for. But Donnie, he did. And if he lied to save her now, it would only come back to hurt him later.

Mira couldn't take back the things she had done. The pain she had already caused. But at least she could help buy Don a little more time as he waited to be rescued.

Mira's eyes pleaded with Don's. She knew him well enough to guess what he was thinking. It wasn't worth the risk. _Don, don't._

Commander Mozar screamed. "Tell me where Raphael is!"

Donatello shook his head, as he lowered his eyes to the floor. He couldn't save his friend. He had nothing left to say.

The Commander roared in frustration. He slammed the pink Utrom on to the ground. Before anyone could react, he stomped on Mira with his boot. When the Commander pulled his foot back, a pile of pink goo and blood was all that was left of the Utrom psychologist.

Donatello closed his eyes. His emotions were spiraling out of control. Mira was dead. And he was no closer to finding his brothers.

Frustrated with his stubborn prisoner, the Commander walked away. "Return him to his cell. Enough of these games."

Mozar's eyes blazed with fury. "Next time, we use the mind probe."

The soldiers nodded and dragged Donatello out of the room.

* * *

Donatello leaned his aching head against the cool wall of his prison cell. The purple clad turtle was delirious with pain. He hurt in places he never even realized could cause him pain. If he had hair, Don was willing to bet even that would be hurting right now.

Donatello's eyes fell upon the empty body in front of him. _Mira. Poor Mira._ Donnie gave a shudder as he recalled the events of the past few hours. Don closed his eyes. He felt like an empty shell. Mira was gone. The Commander's reputation for his ruthless treatment of prisoners was well deserved. Shaking his head, the injured turtle tried to focus on the object in his hands. After being tossed once again into his cell, Donnie had pried off one of the housing's from Mira's empty exosuit. It felt weird to continue touching the exosuit, now that Mira was gone. But using the suit had originally been her suggestion. The genius turtle had been trying to send a message for the past day or two. But he was in too much pain to tell if it had gotten through or not. Nevertheless, Don kept trying. Sooner or later, the message had to get through to Leonardo. Donnie wasn't sure how much longer he could last while waiting to be rescued.

* * *

 **A/N: Don't worry Donnie, help is on the way? Maybe? Why not leave a review before you go? Virtual Pancakes with real Maple Syrup to those who do!**


	13. Bait And Switch

**A/N: That Mira, boy she really got it in the last chapter didn't she? Well, that's what happens to mean people.**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: It is with a saddened heart that I must report that I still do not own the turtles. Sniffle. Sniffle.**

* * *

Chapter 13-Bait And Switch

Raphael and Michelangelo jumped across the rooftops. Landing not nearly as silent as his teammates, Casey Jones leaned forward as he struggled to catch his breath. He had lost track of the total number of rooftops they have crossed thus far that evening. The vigilante placed his hands on his knees as he panted. "Dude, I never realized that turtles. Could be so. Fast."

Casey Jones wasn't exactly out of shape, for a human. But the vigilante did not have the turtle's natural stamina, or their years of martial arts training, including cardio sessions, under his belt either. Michelangelo grinned as he looked over his shoulder at the masked vigilante. Raphael looked at his grinning brother, then let out a chuckle of his own. The red ninja walked back to his out of breath friend. So far, it had been a long and uneventful night. If something didn't happen soon, they would have to pack it up for another time.

Raphael looked at Casey. "Case, you don't have to continue with us. We don't even know if we are going to find Donnie tonight."

Casey haphazardly tried to swipe at Raph, while regaining his breath. "Dude, you ain't leaving me out of this."

Before Raph could reply, a puff of smoke filled the air. In its wake stood two intimidating figures.

The three teammates quickly reached for their weapons. Raph and Mikey took up defensive stances. Casey attempted to follow suit as he eyed the newcomers.

Casey spoke first. "Nice hats. But who are these guys?"

Raphael growled out his reply, his eyes never leaving the ninja in front of him. "The Foot Clan's Elite Guard."

Taking a step forward Raph barked out. "What do you two bozos want?"

Armed with his twin bladed sword, Shiro stepped forward. The older Elite Guard made no move to attack. Speaking in English, the Elite's voice held a heavy accent. "We know the one you seek."

"Is that so?" Raphael narrowed his eyes. "And why should we trust you?"

Mikey stepped forward, his hands clutching his nunchaku. Something about this meeting didn't feel right. But this was the closest he had come to his brother Leonardo in six months. Now was not the time to pass up an opportunity.

Saburo held his trident firmly as he addressed the group. "We can take you to him."

For a long moment, red and orange masked eyes stared at each other. Their unspoken questions hung in the air. _How do the Elite's know they are looking for Donnie? Or are they talking about Leonardo? And why are they offering to help them?_

Raphael and Michelangelo had planned on finding Donatello first. They had hoped that together, the three brothers would be able to figure out a way rescue Leonardo from the tight grip of the Foot Clan. But maybe they needed to regroup with Leonardo first instead, in order to locate Donatello?

Seeing no other options available, Raphael put the sais back in his belt. "Lead the way then."

Casey Jones moved to follow. He was stopped by a trident in front of his face.

Saburo said. "Not you."

Casey pushed on the trident, protesting. "Hey!"

Raphael turned and looked at his friend. The red clad ninja didn't know what was going on, but now was not the time to appease his friend's ego.

"It's ok Case. Me and Mikey, we've got this."

Casey held his friends gaze for a moment before realizing he would not win this argument. "You be careful bro."

Raph replied with a smirk before he turned away. The night may have started out uneventful, but it looked like that was about to change. The four warriors disappeared into the night.

* * *

Leonardo ran across the rooftops, sticking to the shadows. The black clad ninja knew he was running out of time. Commander Mozar had to be taken out before the Triceriton could do any more damage. Leo knew that it wouldn't take long before the Elite Guard discovered that he had left Foot Headquarters on his own. Although Leo was the rightful leader of the Foot Clan, Leonardo's young age left him under the guidance of the two elder Elite's. The Elite Guard kept a watchful eye on Leo's actions. They would be sure to find him and escort him back to the Foot Headquarters.

No, if Leo wanted to do something about Commander Mozar on his own, he had to get inside the Commander's ship, _fast_. Otherwise, the Elite Guard would catch up to him. Then the young leader would be stuck ordering the Elite's to take care of the Commander on behalf of Leonardo and the Foot Clan. And while the Elite Guard's would not directly harm Leonardo's brothers, he couldn't count on the Elite's to protect his family either.

Determined to protect the one's he loved, Leo pushed his body to move faster. Leonardo moved swiftly, putting his natural speed to good use. The only person, well turtle really, that could ever keep pace with him, was Michelangelo. Leo frowned as he ran. _Mikey._ The naturally athletic and energetic turtle often drove each of his elder siblings crazy. But the youngster had also earned a special place in each of his brothers' hearts. He only hoped that his brothers were ok, and that they would be able to forgive him for staying away for so long.

Distracted by thoughts of his family, Leonardo failed to notice that two shadows had begun following him. Try as they might, the two ninja could not reach their young master. They settled for tailing him instead.

Taking care to remain undetected by their young master as they advanced, Shinji questioned his teammate. "The young master is moving fast. Where is he going?"

Sin'ichi shook his head. "I do not know brother. But it is our sworn duty to protect the leader of the Foot Clan. We cannot let him out of our sight."

* * *

Leonardo remembered Raphael's stories about his time spent among the Triceritons. But nothing could have prepared the black masked turtle for the awe inspiring sight of the warship itself. Located in an abandoned part of the city sat the vessel. Occasionally a pair of guards circled the outside. The sound of heavy footsteps approaching his direction sent Leo searching for cover among the trees. Perched on a thick branch, Leo held his breath as the guards passed below him. The soldiers chatting amongst themselves.

The first guard said. "Navigation is taking bets on the prisoner. Rumor has it that the Commander is going to use the Mind Probe on him tomorrow."

The second guard nodded. "I'm surprised the Commander waited this long. Yeah, I'm in. I say that purple terrapin doesn't last more than five minutes."

Leo tilted his head to the side, processing this new information. _A terrapin prisoner? That's purple? But turtle's aren't purple._ As the guards moved out of hearing range, Leonardo's eyes widened. _Oh shell, they must be talking about Donnie! Ok change of plans. This has just become a rescue mission._

* * *

Four figures swiftly crossed the city. Saburo and Shiro knew that the two turtles following behind them could hear their conversation. They assumed that the red and orange turtles wouldn't understand what they said, if they spoke in Japanese.

Saburo said. "The ship will be coming up soon."

Shiro nodded, before asking. "How will we get them inside?"

The tone in Saburo's voice gave away the smile hidden behind his mask. "We let the Triceritons get a look at them. Then the off worlders should do the rest."

Following in silence, it was easy for Raph and Mikey to listen in as the two Elite's began to chat amongst themselves. Unfamiliar with Japanese, Raph turned to his orange masked brother to translate.

"Mikey?"

Michelangelo bit on his lip to prevent a smirk from forming. Mikey had never been happier for all of Master Splinter's tutelage in Japanese. The nunchaku wielder frowned as the Elite's words began to sink in. _Triceritons? Oh shell, Raphie is so going to lose it._ Michelangelo wasn't sure how to break the news to his hot headed brother.

Noticing the hesitation, Raph hissed at his brother. "Mikey, what is it?"

The orange masked turtle whined. "They're leading us into a trap."

Raphael snorted, he had figured that part out already. The question was, a trap for who?

"For who?"

The sai wielder almost lost his footing at Mikey's reply.

"Triceritons."

* * *

Not willing to give away their position, Shinji and Sin'ichi were too far away to hear the conversation between the two soldiers. Suddenly, they saw Leonardo tense up. A puff of smoke filled the air and then the young leader was gone.

Panicked, Sin'ichi raced towards the spot where Leonardo had been mere seconds prior. Cursing in Japanese, Shinji followed. Losing their young master was not an option.

* * *

With the warship in their sites, the two warm colored turtles no longer needed their Elite guides. Nodding to each other, Raphael and Michelangelo quickly withdrew their weapons. Saburo and Shiro turned around at the sound.

Shiro's red eyes narrowed as he asked in broken English. "How did you know?"

Michelangelo began twirling his nunchaku as he took up an offensive stance. He replied in Japanese. "Dude, you know what they say. When one assumes, you make an ass out of you and me."

The orange ninja chuckled. "Well, in this case, just you two really."

Raphael could not tear his eyes away from the ship. He knew that ship, and the Commander inside, a little too well.

Mikey continued. "What I don't get is, why dudes? Aren't you like honor bound not to hurt us or something?"

Saburo began to lose the leash on his temper. These brothers were the source of all of their problems with Leonardo. "We are honor bound to protect the Foot Clan and its leader. Not you two. Your brother is the rightful heir to lead the clan." He slammed his trident on the ground. "But our young master is not dedicated to the Foot. He still thinks of his brothers. With you gone, our young master will have no choice but to dedicate himself to his Foot family."

 _Are these dudes for real?_ Mikey grinned. "For two dudes who are supposed to be the deadliest of the Foot Clan's warriors, you aren't very bright. Leo would never abandon his true family."

Unable to follow the conversation spoken in Japanese, Raphael had instead focused his attention on their surroundings. Silent as he observed the area, the gasp of surprise from the sai wielder caught everyone's attention. The three ninja turned to see what the problem was.

The figure had disappeared quickly, but there was no mistaking the silhouette against the moonlight. For a brief moment the profile had been clear. It was a figure, with two sword hilts peeking out from behind a rounded back.

Not willing to believe his eyes, Mikey raced forward. "Leo!"

Raph let out an unintelligible growl before following his fast moving brother.

Saburo followed the ninja turtles with a curse in Japanese. "Young Master!"

Shiro quickly fell in sync with his brother. The fact the Leonardo had managed to slip by Sin'ichi and Shinji would have to be addressed at a later time. With their young master on the loose, it looked like the two elder Elite's would have to change their plans. The issue of Leonardo's siblings was no longer their primary concern. Right now, the elder Elite's had to act before the situation got out of control. And that meant doing whatever it takes to get Leonardo to return to Foot Headquarters.

With all hints of the fight amongst themselves forgotten, the four ninja hurried towards the ship.

* * *

The Triceriton soldier raced onto the bridge and kneeled before his superior. Surprised by the sudden intrusion Commander Mozar barked out. "What is it?"

The soldier stood. "Sir, four warriors have entered the ship."

Unimpressed, Mozar ordered. "So what. Take care of them."

Sometimes it really sucked to be the one to report to the Commander. The soldier stammered. "B-bu-but s-si-sir."

Mozar narrowed his eyes. "What now?"

"Two of the w-wa-warriors are t-te-terrapins. And, s-sir, o-on-one of them is wearing a r-re-red m-ma-mask."

The Commander sneered. "Raphael."

After a moment's pause, the Commander said. "Bring me the purple terrapin."

The solider nodded. Relieved that he was able to avoid Mozar's temper, the soldier quickly departed the room.

Settling back in his seat, a grin spread across the Commander's face. His smug voice carried across the room.

"Things are about to get very interesting."

* * *

 **A/N: Oh Commander Mozar, you have no idea. I cherish every single review. Why not leave one before you go? I even bribe with virtual treats. Virtual Maple Glazed Buns to those who review!**


	14. Terrapin Prisoners

**A/N: Reviews help fuel my plot bunny, thank you to those who have reviewed.**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: Fourteen chapters into part III and I still do not own the turtles.**

* * *

Chapter 14-Terrapin Prisoners

Donatello blinked rapidly in a vain attempt to clear the sleep out of his eyes. The guards shoved him along the now too familiar route towards the bridge. Awoken from a fitful slumber, Donnie was dreading the early return to the Commander. Usually, he would get at least a few hours of uninterrupted sleep before the Triceriton began a new round of questioning. Except this time, something must have changed his mind, causing Donatello to being retrieved earlier than usual.

Dazed and confused, Donnie stumbled as he was escorted to what was sure to be another painful interrogation session. As the small group progressed though the ships corridors, soldiers hurried along. Always a curious turtle, the prisoner couldn't help but wonder what all of the commotion was about.

Donnie asked. "What's going on?"

The first guard pushed him forward as he ignored the question.

"Keep moving."

Donatello struggled to keep up with the quickened pace of his captors as they led him back to that Triceriton scum Commander Mozar

* * *

Leonardo did not think that his solo rescue attempt of Donatello was going to be easy. After all, he was only one ninja against an entire ship of Triceriton soldiers. However, the young leader wasn't expecting to be brought to his knees the minute he had set foot inside the Triceriton warship.

Remaining balanced on one knee, Leonardo adjusted the environmental breather against his snout. Relieved that the immediate crisis was over, he took a welcome breath of oxygenated air. When Leo had slipped into the cargo bay, the black clad teen had immediately fallen to his knees, struggling to breathe the preferred atmosphere of the Triceritons. Leo didn't care what it was made of, whatever was in the atmosphere clearly that did not agree with an oxygen breathing earth dweller such as himself. Fortunately, Leonardo was a rather observant turtle and tonight, turtle luck was on his side. He had noticed that the Triceriton's outside the ship were wearing some sort of breathing mask.

Leo took a deep breath.

And now he knew why. Thankfully, the Triceritons were accustomed to visitors from different species. Blindly hoping that it would work, Leonardo had grabbed the tube like device hanging near the doorway. And now, he could breathe oxygen again.

Leo took another deep breath. _Oxygen. Sweet, blissful oxygen. That was a little too close._

Suddenly an alarm began to ring throughout the ship. Leo's head snapped up. _No rest for the weary I suppose._ Leo ducked behind a stack of boxes as two Triceritons raced by. _What the shell is going on?_

Remaining in the shadows, Leonardo followed the soldiers. And turtle luck was still on his side. For the second time that evening, Leonardo's eavesdropping paid off. The black masked turtle smiled. Now Leonardo knew why Michelangelo was always willing to risk getting into trouble from Master Splinter. Mikey earned a lot of backflips for it, but sometimes snooping really did pay off.

The first soldier said. "We must hurry. Commander Mozar wants the red clad terrapin for himself."

His partner replied. "And what of the others?"

"They are expendable. It's the red terrapin the Commander wants."

The Triceriton snorted to his companion. "Understood."

Leonardo continued to follow the two soldiers, sticking to the shadows as they raced throughout the ship. _They must be talking about Raph. Great. That's just great. Now I have to get not one, but two brothers off of this ship._

Leonardo whispered a curse in Japanese as he followed the soldiers. Hopefully he wouldn't encounter any more surprises.

* * *

Michelangelo whined to his older brother. One of his nunchaku had gotten tangled in the tube of his environmental breather, again. "Come on man, these things are so cumbersome. Do I really have to wear it?"

Raphael growled as he landed a snap kick on the soldier in front of him. He was not in the mood for Mikey's whining. "Unless you can suddenly breathe air filled with only nitrogen and sulfur, yes shell for brains, you do."

Untangling his weapon, Mikey began twirling them again at his opponent. "But it keeps getting in my way."

Saburo rolled his eyes. The orange turtle was an impressive fighter. But clearly, he had yet to master one of the most important attributes of being a ninja. When to be silent.

Shiro caught the trident wielder's eye roll. "The orange one is quite the chatterbox, isn't he?"

Insulted, Mikey's voice cried out in Japanese. "Dude, I heard that!"

Despite the Triceritons advanced weapons, the ninja were making quick work of their foes. It didn't take long for the four warriors to clear the room.

"Follow me." Not waiting for a reply, Raphael began heading towards the bridge.

Mikey turned around to find himself facing a puff of smoke. Their Elite guides were gone.

"Oh man, they have GOT to tell me how they do that."

* * *

Leonardo adjusted the strap of Donnie's brown duffel bag. The black masked turtle had finally found the prisoner holding area, but all of the cells were empty. At least he had managed to locate his brother's brown bag of tricks. All he had to do now, was to locate Donatello.

Sensing the sudden presence in the room, Leonardo withdrew the katanas from the sheaths on his shell in a liquid smooth motion. He spun around on his heel to face the threat.

The two younger Foot Elites walked into the light and bowed.

Thankful he was facing the younger Elite Guards instead of Triceritons, Leonardo lowered his swords.

Sin'ichi spoke first. "Young master, we must leave this place."

Leonardo raised an eyeridge, but remained silent. The black masked teen was not surprised that the younger Elite's had followed him. However, he was startled at their forthrightness. If anyone among the Foot Elite had a problem with Leo's orders, it was usually the two elder Elite's that spoke up, not the youngsters. It would appear that Saburo and Shiro had begun to rub off on to the two younger Elites.

Shinji continued. "Forgive us young master, but these creatures are dangerous. You should not be here."

Leonardo adjusted the strap on the brown bag again. _I don't know how Donnie manages to move with this thing on him all the time._

Leo's muscles tensed at the Elite's request. There was no way he was going to leave his brother's behind. Keeping his voice level, Leonardo said. "Two of my brothers are on this ship."

Already familiar with how stubborn the black masked teen could be, Sin'ichi looked over at Shinji. Leonardo's tense muscles and body posture gave away his intent. The young leader was not going to leave empty handed.

The younger Elite's eyes locked onto each other. _What do we do now?_

Ignoring the younger Elites hesitation Leonardo turned around. He had already detected the presence of the two elder Elites as they entered the room.

The determination written all over his features, Leonardo growled his orders. "I am not leaving without my brothers. They are coming back to Foot Headquarters, with us."

The elder Elite's had heard the entire conversation during their approach. They were not happy about having to bring Leonardo's brothers back to Foot Headquarters. But if that's what it took to have their young master return without a fight, it was worth it.

Besides, maybe this latest development could work to their advantage?

Looking over the black masked turtle's shoulders, the two younger Elites saw Saburo shake his head. _No. Now is not the time to give away their plan to eliminate Leonardo's brothers._

Leonardo turned to face Saburo and Shiro. After a quick bow, Saburo said. "Young master, all three of your brothers are on this ship. We know where they are going. Follow us."

* * *

Michelangelo wasn't quite sure how it happened. One minute, he and Raph were kicking shell and taking names, fighting a bunch of dinosaur soldiers. The next, the two brothers found themselves forced to their knees. In front of them stood one very smug looking Triceriton.

Commander Mozar may have looked like a dinosaur, but the arrogant tone to his voice, made him sound more like a cat purring with pleasure.

"Well, look at what we have here. Traximus's terrapin pet."

If looks could kill, the death glare from Raphael's eyes would have vaporized the Commander where he stood.

Commander Mozar smirked. "What's the matter Raphael? Nothing to say to an old friend?"

Refusing to give in to the taunts, Raphael remained silent.

The Commander turned his attention to the orange turtle. He knelt down, his eyes boring into Mikey's. "And what is this?"

The Commander's hand reached out to grasp Mikey's chin. "A terrapin brother. Perhaps this one will be more talkative."

Mikey's breath caught in his throat as his chin was painfully held in place by the Commander.

Raphael growled. "Get your paws off my brother, you filthy three horned dinosaur."

The Commander's smile grew wide, his voice was smug. "Oh, so he speaks after all."

Rising to his feet, the Commander back handed the orange turtle, hard. With his hands still bound behind his shell, Mikey could do nothing to protect himself from the unexpected blow. The force caused the prisoner to topple over as he yelped in pain.

"Mikey!" Struggling against the guards, Raphael barked out. "Leave him alone!"

The Commander's laughter filled the room. "Looks like you have a weak spot after all, Raphael."

Raphael struggled harder against the guards. "Mozar, let my brother go. This is between you and me."

Mozar strode back to his command chair and sat down. After a moment of silence he spoke. His voice was filled with hate. "Raphael. Traximus's troublesome terrapin pet. If it weren't for you, no one would have ever known that there was a spy within the Rebellion. Right under Traximus's nose."

Unable to break free from the grip of the guards, the red turtle ceased his struggles. "It's not my fault that you made a crappy spy."

Mozar's eyes flashed with fury. He nodded to the soldier on Raph's right side.

The guard struck Raphael in the head with a Triceriton blaster, causing him to let out a grunt of pain.

Mikey shifted, but could do nothing. The orange ninja was held in place by two guards of his own.

Mozar began to lose the leash on his temper as he shouted. "The great Triceriton Republic never would have fallen to the Rebellion. If it weren't for meddlesome scum like you. Now I'm cast out from my own people. Forced to live in exile. Everything was taken away from me."

Shaking with rage, the Commander ordered. "Bring him in!"

Raphael and Michelangelo let out a gasp as a familiar figure stumbled into the light. A purple masked turtle they had not seen in six months.

"Donnie!"

Although the Commander had lowered his voice, the threat was still clear. "Raphael, now I'm going to take everything away from you."

* * *

 **A/N: I sense a brotherly reunion coming up. Virtual kettle glazed popcorn to those who review!**


	15. Unwelcomed Guests

**A/N: In honor of Halloween, here is a super long chapter as your treat AND it contains a twist, er trick, too.**

 **Also, to my super cool guest reviewer, thanks for the chuckles. And virtual treats are indeed given out per review, not per person.**

 **Also everybody thank Sairey13 for their review, it is because of their review that this chapter became so long. My plot bunny latched onto your questions and comments and took off, thank you!**

 **And finally, thank you to everyone else who has reviewed as well. Knowing that you are enjoying this fic keeps me writing, and editing, and re-writing and re-editing. Ah, the practice of a writer. Thank you for reviewing!  
**

 **This chapter picks up where the last one left off.**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: I own the cup that held my tea while I wrote this chapter, but I do not own the turtles.**

* * *

Chapter 15-Unwelcomed Guests

Positioning himself on a pipe above the command room, Leonardo balanced his weight as he observed the scene unfolding beneath him. He watched Michelangelo and Raphael as they were shoved to their knees before Commander Mozar. Leonardo's muscles tightened in anticipation of jumping down to rescue them, but he struggled to remain still and calm. Leo was still missing a third brother. The black clad turtle only half listened to the conversation happening below. Instead, Leo focused his attention on scanning the room, searching for a sign of Donatello.

A quick movement out of the corner of his eye drew Leonardo's attention back to his red and orange clad siblings. When the Commander struck Michelangelo, Leo had to tighten his grip on the pipe to prevent himself from leaping down and lashing out. Leonardo's eyes narrowed beneath his mask. _He's going to pay for that._ The sword wielder struggled once again to calm himself. He had to wait for the right moment to rescue his brothers. Jumping in too soon would not help anyone.

Leo searched the shadows, locating the four Elite Guards. The reluctant Foot Leader was no fool. Leo knew that the Foot Elites were not happy about his latest order. Leo's decision to bring his brothers back to Foot Headquarters placed them all in danger. But right now, Leo had no choice. With all four of the Foot Elites on his tail, Leo would never shake them off long enough to save his brothers on his own. Leo's only goal right now, was to get his brothers away from Commander Mozar. As long as the Elites believed that Leo would not stray from his obligation to the Foot Clan, they would continue to follow his orders.

Leo's eyes burned with passion as he stared at his captive siblings. First, he was getting his family off this warship. Later, once they were all far away from the Triceritons, he would worry about the problem of the Elite Guard and the Foot Clan. Returning his attention back to the scene below, Leonardo shifted his weight again. Leonardo knew that the four Elites and he were not only outnumbered, but also overpowered, lacking the superior strength and fire power of the Triceritons.

But the five ninja did have two things on their side that the Triceritons did not.

Speed.

And the element of surprise.

As ninja, sometimes that's all the advantage one needs.

Finally, Leo's patience paid off. As soon as Donatello was brought into the light, Leo leapt down, and gave the Elites the signal to attack.

* * *

The guards were struggling to keep Raphael contained as he screamed at the Commander. "Mozar, leave my brothers out of this."

Raphael's voice began turning animalistic with rage. "When I get out of here, I'm going to rip your horns from your oversized skull."

Suddenly, a puff of smoke filled the room.

 _What the?_

Everyone in the room froze, confused. Everyone, that is, except for the three prisoners who have seen that smoke before.

Relieved, Donatello whispered. "Leonardo."

Raphael ceased his struggles. Instead he focused on searching for his elder brother within the smoky haze. "Leo?"

Michelangelo smiled as he began to taunt the soldiers. "You Dino dudes are gonna get it now."

By the time the air had cleared, Leonardo and the Elite Guards were already in motion.

Sin'ichi and Shinji attacked the guards near Mikey and Raphael. Shinji used his battle axe to break the cuffs around the prisoners' wrists. Saburo and Shiro focused on the soldiers near the Commander. The elder Elites used the long reach of their weapons to keep the Triceritons occupied as they tried to shield the Commander.

With his swords already drawn, Leonardo set his sights on the Triceritons guarding Donatello. Swiftly slicing the blasters in half, Leo followed up with a powerful round house kick, forcing the soldiers backwards. Using the sharp blades, and a skilled hand, Leonardo severed the cuffs from Donatello's wrists.

Rubbing the raw skin, Donnie greeted his brother. "Leo!"

Leo's eyes roamed over his brother's body, assessing his wounds. Leo felt his blood temperature rising along with the count of each of his sibling's injuries. As soon as they reached Foot Headquarters, Donatello was going to require medical attention.

Leo's concerned eyes looked into Donnie's. There were so many things he wanted to say, but now was not the time. Leo handed over the brown bag as he spoke. "Donnie, can you hold on long enough to get us out of here?"

Donnie's eyes lit up at the sight of his duffel bag of tricks. He may have been injured, but that wasn't going to stop the genius from helping his reunited family.

Donnie began digging through his bag. "Where to?"

His voice stern, Leo said. "Foot Headquarters."

Ignoring the question for now, Donnie continued rummaging in his brown bag. Triceriton soldiers began to pour into the room. They were running out of time.

Recovered from his surprise at the sudden intrusion, Commander Mozar began yelling at his soldiers. That black masked terrapin scum and his comrades were ruining everything.

Commander Mozar screamed. "Stop them!"

With a small cry of triumph, Donatello pulled out the Utrom portable transmat device out of the bag. He quickly punched in the coordinates.

Donnie yelled. "Everybody over here."

Leo began speaking in rapid Japanese, ordering the Elites to collect Raph and Mikey. The ninja huddled together as they each reached out, grabbing onto Donatello's shell.

Commander Mozar shouted. "Seize them!"

But the Triceritons were too slow.

Commander Mozar let out a roar as the intruders disappeared in a bright flash of white light.

* * *

Eight tired ninja slowly opened their eyes. Looking around, the group found themselves standing inside the first floor of Foot Tower. Staring back at them, was a bunch of very surprised looking Foot soldiers. Immediately recognizing their young leader, the Foot ninja dropped to their knees.

"Young master."

Observing the entire room of Foot displaying respect to his eldest brother, Mikey breathed out. "Whoa."

Pumped full of adrenaline, Raphael whirled to face the Foot Leader. "Leo, what the shell was that? We can't let the Commander escape!"

Raphael's forward motion was halted by the crossed weapons of Shiro and Saburo. "No."

Leonardo ignored his hot headed brother's protests. Instead, the young leader turned to the Elite Guard as he ordered. "Take our guests to the infirmary."

Not waiting for a reply, Leonardo turned and began walking away. He had already put himself on thin ice with the Foot Elite. Leo had been caught by Sin'ichi and Shinji when he went out alone, trying to rescue his brothers. And now Leo had just escorted his three younger brothers inside Foot Headquarters.

Disgusted with himself, Leo shook his head. _What the shell was I thinking?_

Leonardo had to separate himself from his brothers, quickly. His actions tonight had already caused enough trouble. Leo had to get his family away from Foot Tower, as soon as possible.

The black clad turtle continued to walk away from his family.

Frustrated by Leonardo's silence, Raphael taunted. "So that's it Fearless Leader? You've ignored us for six months and now that's the best you can do? You just gonna walk out on us again?"

The young leader ignored Raphael's string of unintelligible insults to his retreating shell. The insults were only a front. Leo had picked up on the hurt feelings hidden behind Raph's words.

Leonardo struggled to keep his features emotionless as he walked away. He may have rescued his brothers from the Triceritons. But he had just put them within reach of the Foot Clan and the Elite Guard.

Once he was out of eyesight, Leonardo clenched his hands into fists.

It appeared that turtle luck wasn't on the young leader's side tonight, after all.

* * *

The four Elites watched their young master walk away from his family.

It would appear that Lady Luck was not on the Elite Guards side tonight. They were supposed to lead the turtles to Mozar so that they could be eliminated. But the plan had backfired.

The three younger turtles did not belong inside Foot Headquarters!

The fact that they Elites were aggravated by the events of the evening did not matter. For the moment, the Elites had no reason to ignore their young master's order to care for his siblings.

Saburo clenched is jaw so hard, he almost broke a tooth. Shiro's twin bladed sword trembled as he struggled to control his anger. They would have to come up with a new plan to eliminate Leonardo's brothers.

Sin'ichi and Shinji began leading the group to the infirmary. "Come."

Donatello looked ready to collapse. Michelangelo hurried over to his genius brother. "Hey Donnie. Here, let me help you."

Mikey gently placed Donatello's arm over his shoulders. The two turtles began to slowly follow the Foot Elite.

Saburo and Shiro flanked either side of Raphael, preventing the hot headed turtle from following the young Foot Leader. "Enough. You must come."

Unable to understand the order spoken in Japanese, Raphael smacked away the Elite's weapons with a growl. "I don't understand a word you idiots just said."

Mikey looked over at his hot headed brother. He wanted to speak with Leo too. But Donnie was hurt. And Raph was bleeding as well. Taking care of their injuries had to come first.

 _Now is not the time Raph._

Annoyed, Mikey yelled. "Raph, come on!"

Reluctantly the red masked turtle followed the group to the infirmary.

* * *

Exhausted from the excitement of the evening, Donatello had fallen asleep immediately after his wounds were taken care of. The purple masked turtle woke up some time later, to find a snoring Michelangelo curled up next to him. From a nearby room came the familiar sound of hard thumps against a heavy bag. Most likely it was Raphael, releasing his frustrations from the evening's earlier events.

With a groan, Donatello swung his legs off of the cot. Pausing to ensure he had not woken Mikey from his slumber, Donatello winced as his injuries groaned in protest. The purple clad ninja started slow at first. Then he increased to almost his normal walking speed. It was late, and the building's occupants appeared to be asleep. Donatello began to wander around Foot Headquarters, hoping he would run into Leonardo.

As he walked around, Donnie had to admit, Foot Headquarters was rather impressive. Training facilities, kitchens, locker rooms. Large portions of the building were dedicated to the training and education of the clan's members. But Foot Headquarters was more than just a ninja training mill, rooms were set up for classrooms, recreation, and entire floors were dedicated to sleeping quarters. It was clear that a member of the Foot Clan was well taken care of.

Donatello's thoughts wandered back to his time among the Utroms. He began comparing and contrasting his time living with his brothers and Master Splinter. _Leonardo has lived among all of this for ten years? And then he moved into the sewers? Just like I did? Clearly I wasn't the only one to give up a more comfortable lifestyle._

Each of the turtles gave up an old life when they elected to stay together. But they did it, because they were a family. Donatello's eyes hardened. _And families stick together._ Pushing aside his aches and pains Donnie continued to walk around Foot Tower. He had to talk with Leonardo.

Eventually, Donatello's persistence paid off. The purple masked turtle found himself facing an intricately carved wooden door. The glow of a lamp peered from underneath the crack. Silently, like the ninja he was trained to be, Donnie entered the room. He had finally located Leonardo.

* * *

Leonardo had just finished meeting with the Elite Guard. He walked into the office and sat down in front of the chess board.

For the moment, Leonardo was alone, getting time to ponder his latest problem. When their meeting was finished, the Foot Elite had left to patrol the building.

Leonardo looked at the game in front of him, but his mind was far away.

Leo's orders had been very clear. His brothers would be granted the hospitality of the Foot Clan, long enough to give them the time they needed to rest and recover. Then they were to leave. The elder Elite's had tried to mask their anger. But Leo has known Shiro and Saburo for too long. The Elite elders carried a sense of honor similar to Leonardo's own. And now, Leonardo had turned the tables, using their sense of loyalty against them. Leonardo had returned to Foot Headquarters and promptly turned his back on his siblings. As long as Leonardo kept his side of the bargain, then the Elites were honor bound to keep their end of the agreement as well. Which meant that they were honor bound not to harm the three youngest turtles.

The only way that the Elites could attack Leonardo's brothers, was if they were provoked first. Then, and only then, would the Elite's be able to act. Their actions to defend their own honor as well as the Foot Clan were the only exceptions. And Leo planned to get his brothers out of Foot Headquarters before that could happen. It was a risky plan, but at the moment, it was all he had.

Leo continued to stare at the chess board, not really paying attention to his surroundings.

* * *

Donnie looked at his eldest brother, sitting behind a large desk. In front of him was a chess board, the pieces made of stone. Leonardo appeared to be lost in his own thoughts.

Donnie slowly walked over. He would have to tread carefully. His eldest brother could be awfully stubborn sometimes. Fortunately, so was he.

Careful not to startle his sibling, Donnie cleared his throat before asking. "Want to play a game of chess?"

The black masked turtle shook his head for a moment, bringing his attention back to the present. Leo looked over the intruder with a frown. "You should be resting."

Taking the order as a sign that he was welcome, Donnie sat down. "Chess is resting. Besides, when was the last time we got to play this game in person?"

Stuck with the Foot Clan for the past six month, playing online chess with Donnie had been the only thing keeping Leonardo from going insane. But it was a poor replacement for the real thing. Leo had missed the presence of his brothers.

Leo let out a snort before he moved the first piece. He could fit in a game or two, before the Elite Guard returned.

* * *

For the first match, a comfortable silence had fallen over the two brothers. Halfway through game two, Donnie decided it was time to address the issue at hand. "You're distracted tonight."

Leonardo sighed. His opponent knew him well, a little too well. "Perhaps."

Donnie moved his rook. "What happened to the plan?"

Having been focused on the match in front of him, Leonardo snapped his head up at the unexpected question. "Huh?"

Donnie leaned back in his seat. "Your plan to leave the Foot, Leo. Even with the addition of Raph and Mikey, it can still work."

Donnie's gaze was unwavering. "We can make it work. The stakes have just gotten a little higher, that's all."

A look of irritation flashed over Leo's face as he moved his pawn. "No way Donnie. I will not risk your lives too."

Donnie frowned. Sometimes trying to reason with Leonardo felt like talking to a brick wall. Fortunately, Donatello knew how to be patient. If he couldn't knock down Leonardo's wall, he would try to create a crack instead. Then he would let it spread out on its own.

Donatello said. "Do you see any other options?"

Leo ran a hand over his face as he shook his head. _No._

Donatello hummed for a moment before moving his knight. "Yesterday it was the Purple Dragons and the Mob. Today it's Commander Mozar. I don't know who it's going to be tomorrow, but it's always going to be something or someone Leo."

Leo captured Don's knight with his bishop. His shoulders were tense. The conversation wasn't going to last much longer. "Then I stay with the Foot."

Don's pawn snatched the spot for Leo's bishop. "Leo, it's been six months. Mikey has finally snapped out of his depression. Raphael has returned home. And so have I."

Leo raised an eye ridge. The way that Donatello was talking, it sounded like a lot had happened between his three brothers that Leo didn't know about. _What's with all the talk about everyone returning home? What had happened after I left? And why hasn't Donnie ever said anything about it?_

Ignoring Leo's questioning look, Donnie pressed on. "We are a team Leo. And more importantly, we are a family. And that includes you. We need you bro. None of us are happy without you."

Leo was growing frustrated. But the questions about his brothers' behavior over the past six months would have to wait. Right now he had more pressing matters.

Unwilling to listen to Donatello's arguments any longer, Leonardo cut him off. "Happiness doesn't matter as long as my brothers are safe."

Donnie grabbed Leo's wrist as he pleaded. "And what about your happiness? You can't stay here forever Leo."

The black masked turtle yanked his wrist out of Donnie's grasp. He shook his head as he sharply rose from his seat. _No._

Leo didn't disagree with his genius brother. The problem was, he had yet to come up with a different solution. And now there was a new enemy, Commander Mozar. He had to protect his brothers before anything else could happen.

Donatello reached for his brother's hand. Leonardo pulled his hand away before it could be touched.

Leo did not mask the frustration from his voice. "Enough. We are finished."

Donnie pleaded. "Leo."

The young leader glared at his brother. "Return to the infirmary Donnie. Your wounds need to heal. And then, Raph, Mikey and you, need to leave."

Not wanting to continue their conversation, Leonardo swiftly walked out of the room.

Donatello took his next move. His voice said to the empty room. "Checkmate."

* * *

Raphael remained in the shadows as a saddened Donatello shuffled past him.

Leonardo wanted to scream in frustration. His brothers had to leave him alone! If the Elite Guard caught him talking to them, or plotting to leave the Foot Clan, he would have even bigger problems to deal with.

Leo's voice came out as a growl. "Your stealth needs work."

The gruffness behind the familiar voice startled the sai wielder, causing him to jump into the light.

Raph knew is anger would get him nowhere with changing Leonardo's mind. His elder brother could be so bullheaded sometimes! The red masked turtle knew that he shouldn't provoke his brother. But Raph just couldn't help himself. For some reason, when it came to Leo, sometimes Raph wanted to grab his self-sacrificing brother by the shoulders and shake him until he knocked that stubborn streak right out of him. There had to be a way to convince Leonardo to let his younger brothers help him.

Raph crossed his arms in front of his plastron as he challenged. "Then why don't you stay and teach me Fearless."

Leonardo snorted. "You have a sensai for that. You don't need me."

Raph's response was automatic. "He's your Master too, Fearless."

Raph watched Leonardo tense up. This conversation was going nowhere fast. He had to try something else.

The red masked turtle tried again to reason with his brother. "Leo, listen. You don't have to keep doing this alone. We can help you."

Already high strung from his conversation with Donatello, and running out of time before the Elites returned, Leonardo lost his temper. The young Foot Leader struck hard and fast. He swiftly pinned Raph to the floor. Leo's eyes narrowed as he looked down upon his brother. "Really? Are you sure about that Raphael?"

Leonardo's voice was rough as he scoffed. "I'm not the one pinned to the floor right now."

The young leader pressed down harder, causing Raph to let out a grunt. "How can you expect to help me, when you can't even help yourself?"

Raph growled and finally found the leverage to shove his brother off of him. "You know what I mean Leo."

Leonardo decided to turn the tables on his quick tempered sibling. "And what was that back there? Showing up at a Triceriton warship? Just you and Mikey? For what? Did you even think about the risk to Mikey's life your foolishness caused?"

Raph countered. "And how was that any different than you storming in there on your own Fearless?"

Leonardo stiffened, his eyes a whirlwind of emotions. Raphael had never seen his brother look so emotionless, and yet so defeated, at the same time.

His voice soft, Leo said. "As the leader of the Foot Clan, I'm never alone."

Stunned into silence, Raphael watched his brother's retreating shell as he walked away.

* * *

For the second time that evening a familiar voice startled Raph, causing him to jump. _Damn ninja stealth._

Mikey chuckled softly. "He's right you know. Your stealth really does need work."

Raphael crossed his arms in front of his plastron. "I thought you were sleeping bro."

Mikey rubbed at his eyes. "Yeah, I was. Until I realized that no one else was there."

Hoping to distract the youngster, Raphael gave Mikey a playful swipe. "We're your brothers. We are always there for ya."

Mikey easily dodged the jab. His face again took on a serious expression. "But what about Leo. Who is there for him?"

Raph sighed as he pulled his brother close. "We are shell for brains. But first, you and I have some apologizing and groveling to do to a certain genius we know. And then together, we are going to end all of this."

* * *

Raph and Mikey entered the infirmary to find Donatello sitting on the cot, awake. The three siblings looked at each other. An awkward silence hovered amongst them.

The two guilty turtles spoke at the same time.

"Umm, Donnie."

"About what I said."

Donatello stopped them with a wave of his hand. "Don't."

Mikey looked up from the floor, a hopeful expression on his face. _Can he really forgive me?_

Donnie smiled, and held out his arms. "Come here Mikey."

Letting out a deep breath, Mikey engulfed his brother in a hug. He began mumbling against Donatello's plastron. "Donnie, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault that you left."

Gently grabbing his brother's shoulders, Donatello pushed his distraught brother backwards. Donnie's gentle eyes locked with Mikey's guilty ones. "No Mikey, it's not your fault. I chose to leave. I thought I could fix everything, by myself."

Mikey leaned back in, seeking comfort from his brother's arms. The orange turtle nuzzled against Donnie's plastron. Mikey wouldn't give up this moment for anything.

Donatello looked over Mikey's shoulder, staring at Raphael. "It's not your fault either Raph."

Raphael crossed his arms in front of his plastron and snorted. "The things that I've said. I called you a traitor, disowned you as a brother. Donnie, how can you forgive me?"

Michelangelo reluctantly pulled away from his purple masked brother. Raph may act tough, but he was never good at keeping the emotion out of his voice.

Donnie kept one hand on Mikey's arm as he looked over at his guilt ridden sibling. "Raph. At first I didn't even know who had purchased the device. But when I found out, I should have listened to Master Splinter. I should have told you right away."

Raphael held his breath. He didn't dare speak or move. _Can he really forgive me?_

Observing the guilt pouring off of his brother in waves, Donatello continued. "Raph, I would give anything to take back building the Triceriton mind probe. But I can't."

Donatello glanced back and forth between his two brothers. He squared his shoulders. It was time to fix his family.

Taking a deep breath, Donnie said. "Look at what our silence has gotten us. For six months, we've been separated. And for what? Leo is stuck here with the Foot Clan. I've rebuilt the mind probe for the Triceriton's. And Mikey hasn't cracked a smile in months. Instead of our separation fixing everything, working on our own has caused us to fall apart."

Mikey added. "Master Splinter is always saying that we are unstoppable as a team."

Donnie rose from the cot, and walked over to Raphael. "I forgive you Raph. As long as you can forgive me too."

Raphael surrounded his brother in a crushing hug. "Of course I forgive you Donnie."

At the sight of his brother's embracing, Michelangelo's smile beamed.

It hadn't been easy, but slowly his brothers were returning home.

All they needed now, was for Leonardo to join them.

* * *

The three turtles had stayed up late, trying to figure out what to do about Leonardo and the Foot. They knew that the Foot Clan's hospitality would not last long. After catching a few hours of sleep, the three younger siblings has agreed to regroup in the dojo.

Michelangelo sat on the bench as he waited for Raphael and Donatello to join him. The usually jovial turtle was remarkably quiet. The problem was so simple, it was almost laughable. Honor. Leonardo was stuck with the Foot Clan, because of his code of honor. Mikey's eldest brother cherished his code of honor, almost as much as he did his family.

Mikey turned his head towards the door as Raphael and Donatello entered. He gave his brothers a big grin. Family. Mikey was so close to getting his entire family back, he could almost taste it.

Still recovering from his captivity, Donnie sat on a nearby bench. He watched Raphael and Michelangelo as they began to spar.

Saburo and Shiro silently entered the room. The elder Elites remained on the opposite side, watching the two turtle ninjas.

The elder Elites were not happy that they had to accommodate their new guests. Leonardo's brothers were not members of the Foot Clan. The younger turtles did not belong inside Foot Headquarters. Yet, Leonardo had granted his siblings the hospitality of the Foot Clan. The three turtles were to remain until Donatello had fully healed from his injuries. It would be at least a couple more days until the turtles would be ordered to leave.

But the presence of Leonardo's brothers was very unsettling. Their presence was like dangling a steak in front of a hungry lion. It would be only so long until the beast lunged for the meal. The longer Leonardo's brothers remained nearby, the harder it would be to ensure their young master stayed focused on his duties to the Foot Clan.

Saburo gripped his trident tightly as he ground out in Japanese. "They do not belong here. We should have eliminated them when they first arrived."

Shiro clenched his twin bladed sword as he nodded in agreement. "I do not disagree with you brother. But that is not our orders."

Saburo grunted in displeasure. "Look at them. They call themselves ninja? The orange one is wild and unfocused. That red one, he is sloppy and uncontrolled."

"And what of the purple one?" Shiro asked.

Saburo shrugged. "I do not know. But if he is anything like these two, then these turtles are of no threat to us. They clearly lack the skills of a Foot Elite. They are not worthy of our young master's time or energy."

* * *

The Elite's conversation carried over to Michelangelo. He simply disregarded them. But the longer they kept talking, the harder their conversation became to block out.

Michelangelo was only one brother short from becoming fully reunited with his family. The only brother left, was Leonardo. Who was still stuck with the Foot Clan. Coerced into rejoining the Foot, because of the wretched Elite Guard. The Foot Elite who were _once again_ talking amongst themselves, as if Mikey couldn't understand what they said.

Michelangelo tried to ignore the two Elite's as he sparred with Raphael. He really did. But when they started talking about his brothers, the very long leash on Mikey's temper just snapped.

Mikey gave Raph two successive snapkicks, causing the red ninja to fall to his knees as he regained his breath. The nunchaku wielder whirled on the elder Elite's, his eyes wild as he spat in Japanese.

"Didn't you two dudes learn from the last time? Hasn't anyone ever told you that it's not nice to talk bad about others? Especially when they can understand. Every. Word. You. Say."

Mikey eyes hardened. "And who are YOU to decide if we can be around OUR brother?"

Saburo narrowed his red eyes as he pointed his trident at Mikey. "As a member of the Elite Guard, it is my duty to protect the leader of OUR clan. And to eliminate any threat."

Michelangelo gestured with his nunchaku. "You don't scare me. Your fancy hat, and your red eyes, hidden behind your mask. As Leo's brother, I have every right to be around him. YOU are the one not worthy. YOU are the threat, to him!"

Saburo stepped forward, his voice filled with malice. "You dare to question my place within this clan? Are you challenging me, turtle?"

Already twirling his nunchaku, Mikey smirked. "You know what dude. Yeah, I think I am!"

Saburo and Mikey lunged forward.

* * *

During the heated conversation between his brother and the elder Elite, Raphael had taken a spot on the bench next to Donatello. Donnie was translating as the two ninja argued.

When the two fighters lunged for each other, Raphael and Donnie jumped to their feet. Their forward advance was halted by a twin bladed sword.

Shiro said. "Do not interfere."

Raphael smacked at the handle of the sword as he growled at Shiro. "What are you talking about?"

The Elite shook his head. "Your brother has issued a challenge. When the position of a Foot Elite is challenged, the two warriors must fight to settle their differences."

Not liking where this was going, Donatello asked anyway. "Fight for how long?"

Shiro replied. "Only four warriors are allowed to be part of the Foot Elite for each faction of the Foot Clan. When a challenge to that position is issued, the fight is to the death."

* * *

 **A/N: This chapter became a beast, it's double the length of the prior chapters. I had to cut it off somewhere so why not here, right? No? You don't like my trick, huh? Ah well. Happy Halloween! Virtual Snickers to those who review!**


	16. Clouded Reasoning

**A/N: Thank you for your reviews and PMs. You guys rock.**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: What do you mean I don't own the turtles? What kind of twisted reality is this?!**

* * *

Chapter 16-Clouded Reasoning

The Elite Elder's words hung in the air.

"When a challenge to that position is issued, the fight is to the death."

Suddenly, the ferocity that Saburo was displaying while fighting Michelangelo began to make a whole lot of sense.

Donnie's eyes widened. For Raph's benefit, he summarized in English. "You mean, if Mikey wins, he becomes a member of the Foot Elite Guard?"

Shiro nodded his reply. _Yes._

As long standing members of the Elite Guard, this was not the first time Saburo or Shiro have fought, defending their position. The Elite elder watched his brother battle the orange menace. _There is no way that unfocused turtle will defeat my brother._

As Donatello's words sunk in, Raph let out an incredulous gasp.

"Wait, what did you just say?"

* * *

Leonardo walked into the dojo, with Shinji and Sin'ichi flanking him. In front of the trio, Michelangelo and Saburo appeared to be sparring. Leo tilted his head. _Well that's odd._ Leo had not been expecting to find one of his brother's training with an Elite Guard, especially with one of the Elite elders.

Glancing around the room, Leo located Raphael and Donatello. The two ninja were sitting on a bench, watching the spar. Yet, something about them didn't seem right either.

Leo's gaze paused on his brothers. Raphael looked like he was ready to jump out of his shell, while Donatello appeared to be paralyzed. Placed directly in front of them was Shiro's twin bladed sword. The Elite elder held the sword in a firm grip, the blade turned to block their path.

A sickening feeling began to build in Leonardo's stomach.

 _No._

Leo glanced back to the spar. Except, now that he was watching closer, the black masked teen realized that it wasn't really a spar, at all. The two combatants were not holding their punches.

Leo's brother and the Elite elder were fighting!

 _Oh no._

Before Leo could speak, Raphael's voice yelled out.

"Leo, do something!"

The panic in Raph's voice caused Leonardo to unconsciously take a step towards his little brother. Shinji and Sin'ichi moved closer, quickly placing a firm hand on each of the black turtle's shoulders. A clear signal to Leonardo that he was not to interfere.

For a brief moment, Mikey's orange masked eyes greeted Leo's black clad ones. Then Mikey's eyes flicked to the Foot Symbol tattooed on his big brother's arm. Appearing to have made an internal decision, Michelangelo's eyes narrowed. The orange clad ninja turned away from Leonardo. Mikey shifted into an offensive stance.

The young leader's eyes widened. Leo had never seen his little brother look so focused before.

 _Mikey, no!_

Leo took another step forward, but was again stopped by Shinji and Sin'ichi.

Shinji said. "Young Master, you cannot interfere."

Leonardo growled at the younger Elite. They were right. As the leader, Leo has to follow the Clan rules, just like the Elites. And that meant that he could not interfere when an Elite's position is challenged.

* * *

 _(A/N: Mere moments earlier)_

Although he often got in trouble for it, sometimes Michelangelo's inability to focus on only one thing at a time, had its advantages. Like right now. Mikey dodged the sweep of the trident aimed for his head, as he listened in on Donnie and Shiro's conversation.

Shiro's words replayed in Mikey's mind. _When a challenge to that position is issued, the fight is to the death._

Mikey's breath caught in his throat.

 _Wait, he can't be serious? A fight to the death?_

Mikey narrowly avoided another blow aimed for his skull.

 _Ok, maybe he is serious._

With a sequence of flips and twists that would make an Olympic gymnast proud, Michelangelo gave himself some space away from his opponent. He took the opportunity to gather his thoughts. _Ok Mikey, think. I'm in a fight to the death. For the job of the Foot Elite._

Mikey glanced around the dojo. He paused on Leonardo. His older brother was flanked on either side by the young Elite Guard. Their hands were on Leo's shoulders, a clear signal that Leo was not to interfere. Mikey noticed the look of worry on Leonardo's face. Mikey's eyes moved down, locating the Foot Symbol tattooed on his big brother's arm.

Michelangelo clenched his nunchaku harder.

 _The Foot Elite, guard my brother. The same brother who is currently stuck as the leader of the Foot Clan. So all I have to do is win, and then I'll be the one guarding Leonardo instead._

Appearing to have made an internal decision, Michelangelo's eyes narrowed. The orange masked turtle turned away from Leonardo and shifted into an offensive stance. Overlooking the price he would have to pay to win, Michelangelo felt the room fall away. The only thing that mattered, was taking down the opponent in front of him. Mikey leapt forward, going on the offensive.

No one was going to get in between him and his eldest brother, ever again.

The orange ninja became a blur of wood and fists. His sequence of strikes came fast and furious. The concentration and determination on his youngest son's face would have made Master Splinter proud. Before anyone could object, a sickening crack rang throughout the dojo. Saburo crumbled to the floor. A loud bang signaled his trident hitting the ground. The blow to the head from Mikey's nunchaku had been fatal. Saburo was dead.

With the rush of adrenaline wearing off, the reality of what he had just done began to sink in. Michelangelo looked at Raph with wide eyes. His breath caught in his throat.

 _I just killed somebody!_

Releasing the grip on his nunchaku, Michelangelo fell to his knees. The weapons bounced once, before coming to rest near their stunned owner.

* * *

Shiro looked on in shock. He would have never guessed that the wild orange turtle would actually defeat his brother.

Shiro whispered. "Saburo."

Raphael's eyes met Mikey's. His baby brother. A wave of horror began to wash over the red masked turtle. Raph had seen this look before, many times. It was the look of someone who had just made their first kill.

With his anger boiling to the surface, Raph turned to Shiro. "You! You let this happen. You worthless piece of."

Shiro snapped out of his shock, cutting of Raphael's rant. He retorted in broken English. "No! You are not worthy to become one of the Elite Guard."

Raphael bristled as he reached for his sais. "Who are you calling unworthy, scum."

Shiro stepped into a fighting stance, red with rage.

No one would murder his brother and live to talk about it.

* * *

For a moment, the spectators were frozen in place. Then just as quickly, the spell was broken.

Still on his knees, Michelangelo put his head in his hands. _What have I done?_

Next to Leonardo, Shinji's eyes widened underneath his mask. _That turtle is a Foot Elite now?_

Sin'ichi's mouth fell open in shock. _Saburo is dead?_

The grip on Leonardo's shoulders from the Elite Guards felt like a vise. Leo struggled to keep his face blank as his heart sank. Just like Raphael, Leonardo had seen the look that was on Michelangelo's face before. His baby brother. _Mikey, what have you done?_

Donatello let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding.

 _Mikey._

 _The Elite Elder._

Everything was happening too fast.

Donnie turned his head in time to catch his hot headed brother jumping to his feet. His eyes burning with fire.

"Raph, no!"

Donnie's plea fell on deaf ears. Raphael had already made his decision.

Shiro attacked first. Raphael dodged with speed unexpected for his size. The Elite Guard was skilled, but his strikes were sloppy. The red masked turtle almost smiled. He'd seen this look before too. On his own face. And when one fights with rage, they make basic mistakes.

With the elder Foot Elite blinded by anger, it didn't take long for Raphael to see his opening. The sai struck home. Raph pulled the weapon free and Shiro's body fell to the floor with a thud. The Elite was still holding his twin bladed sword as the life faded quickly from his eyes. Shiro had just joined his brother Saburo in death.

* * *

Leonardo felt Shinji and Sin'ichi tense up next to him. The younger Elites eyes were locked on to Donatello sitting across the room. Leonardo had to act, quickly.

Donnie gulped. _Oh no, am I next?_

Hoping to diffuse the already out of control situation, Leonardo commanded. "Stop!"

The two younger Elites turned, confused at the sudden order. "Young master?"

Leonardo's leader face was in place. His expression unreadable, he said. "Your positions have not been challenged."

The younger Elite's bristled but remained silent. They respectfully removed their hands from Leonardo's shoulders.

Leo continued. "There has been enough death for one day. Take the new Elites for their marks."

Quickly losing the grip on his emotions, Leonardo hurried towards the dojo doors. Leo couldn't think, he couldn't breathe. How much longer will the Foot Clan continue to harm his family?

Leo had to get out of the dojo. Tears pooled in his eyes. _Raph. Mikey._

In his haste, the young leader ordered over his shoulder.

"And get this mess cleaned up."

* * *

Raphael kneeled next to his stricken brother. He placed a gentle hand on Michelangelo's shoulder. The hot headed turtle's voice was uncharacteristically soft. "Mikey?"

The orange ninja sniffled before quickly wiping his eyes. He cleared his throat. Taking a deep breath, Mikey's voice was gravelly as he spoke. "I'm alright Raphie."

Raphael knew that Michelangelo was lying. Mikey shook his brother's hand off of his shoulder as he reached for his nunchaku. Placing the weapons in his belt, Michelangelo stood up. Raph rose with him. Donatello joined them. The purple clad turtle looked at his little brother, concern in his eyes.

Mikey gave his brothers a weak smile. "Really, I'm alright."

"Come."

Raphael stiffened at Shinji's voice.

The younger Elites flanked their new comrades.

The four ninja began walking out of the room. Donatello moved to follow them.

Sin'ichi turned to the bo wielder. "You stay here."

Donatello's eyes hardened. He had already figured out what "marks" Raph and Mikey were going to get. Donnie was in no position to stop it, but as the family medic, he sure as shell was going to make sure he at least supervised. The least he could do was to make sure that the needles had been sterilized.

Donatello growled. "No."

Sin'ichi tensed at the protest.

Holding his ground, Donnie crossed his arms in front of his plastron. The venom in his voice did not fit the usually soft hearted turtle. "Leonardo's orders were to take your new Elite Guard for their marks. After everything that has happened, would you really bring dishonor to yourself now, by going against his wishes?"

The purple turtle was smart, too smart. But he was also right. The Elites had their orders.

Shinji spat out. "Follow us."

The two Elites walked in front of the turtles, leading the way.

Donatello put his arms around his two brothers' shoulders. This was not the family reunion the three siblings had envisioned. The trio huddled for a moment, seeking peace and solace from all of the sudden confusion.

The unspoken question hung in the air.

 _What are we going to do now?_

* * *

 **A/N: So, was that what you expected? No? Good. Heh, what a fine mess the turtles have gotten themselves into this time. Virtual cannoli filled croissants (I just learned of these today, yum!) to those who review.**


	17. Working Together

**A/N: Your reviews fuel my plot bunny, my thank you is a new chapter.**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: Flikaroo reaches out to accept** **a paper that grants ownership of the turtles. The paper disintegrates upon contact. Darn it! (Thanks for the try, Guest reviewer)**

* * *

Chapter 17-Working Together

Thankful for the distraction from the evening's earlier events in the dojo, the orange masked turtle bounced on his heels. Michelangelo could barely contain his excitement. He glanced at the mark on his arm again. His fingers reached out to touch the tender skin. A three fingered hand reached out and swatted his hand away.

Annoyed, Donnie said. "Leave it alone Mikey."

Mikey whined. "But Donnie, this is so cool. It's my first tattoo."

Donatello had shifted into Dr. Don mode. "Michelangelo. First of all. It is not _cool._ It is a tattoo. A permanent mark on your body. Second. It's a NEW tattoo. Which means that it is an open wound. If you don't want to get an infection. Do. NOT. Touch. It."

Raphael turned away from his bickering siblings to look down at his own mark. "I still don't get why we had to get these anyway. It's like we've been branded or something."

Unknown to the three brothers, the young Foot Leader had silently entered the room. The trio jumped at the sound of Leonardo's voice. "You have. You two are now high ranking members of the Foot Clan."

Leo's voice dropped dangerously as he approached. The rage poured off of him. "What the SHELL were you two thinking?"

Sick and tired of Leonardo's attitude, Raphael growled back. "We were thinking that we've got your back bro."

Unphased by his angry older brothers, Michelangelo chimed in. "Yeah. The job of the Foot Elite is to guard their leader. That's you Leo."

Mikey beamed with pride as he showed off the new Foot Clan tattoo on his upper arm. "Now WE can be the ones to guard you."

Donatello barely restrained the urge to slap his face in frustration. The good intention behind Michelangelo's thinking was commendable. But his orange clad brother's logic, needed a lot of work.

Unimpressed, Leonardo turned and pointed to Donatello. "And what about Donnie? Should he become a member of the Foot too? Must he be forced to make his first kill as well?"

Michelangelo's eyes grew wide. _Wait, how did Leo know?_

Leo noticed Michelangelo's look of surprise. He smirked, his voice cold. "How did I know? Easy Mikey. Yes, you were raised by a skilled Ninjitsu master. But Master Splinter, he follows a code of honor. The Shredder, he had no such code. He was a mastermind, a criminal, and a monster. When I refused to assassinate my best friend, the Shredder did it for me. My punishment? Forced to watch as my friend was slowly murdered, with my own blade."

Leo took a step forward. "This is the life within the clan you just WILLINGLY joined."

Stunned by the revelation from Leo's past within the Foot, the room fell into silence.

Leonardo stepped closer, hissing at his naïve brother. "Michelangelo. Membership for the higher ranking soldiers in the Foot Clan. Is. For. Life. Any attempts to leave."

Leo shook his head. "The ONLY way to leave. Is through death itself."

Mikey took a nervous step back. He had never feared his eldest brother before. But he was beginning to fear him now.

The three brothers saw through Leo's veil of anger. Their eldest brother was lashing out, because he feared for his family's safety. It was time for Leo to stop trying to protect his brothers, and start leading them as a team.

Raphael jumped in, changing the subject as he defended the youngest turtle. "Back off Fearless. Mikey was just trying to help. In case you haven't noticed, we haven't been doing that well on our own."

Focusing his attention towards Raphael, Leonardo's gaze could have melted stone.

Raph crossed his arms in front of his plastron, accepting the challenge. "What has the past six months alone gotten you?"

The black masked turtle clenched his hands into fists, struggling to maintain control. Leo's breaths came out fast, his eyes blazing with fire. "Gotten me, Raphael? What has it gotten me? I have brought order to the Foot Clan. I have made sure that this family, that the three of YOU were protected. And I brought order to the streets of New York City. The threat from the mob and the Purple Dragons is over."

Leo was losing control on his emotions. His brothers were in more danger now than ever before. "And now YOU TWO had to go off and become Foot Elite! You have ignored everything that I've done to protect this family!"

Leonardo sank down heavily in a nearby chair. He put his head in his hands. The anger was already diminishing, to be replaced by anguish. "But none of that matters now. You've gone ahead and put yourselves in danger again."

Leonardo's stone wall was crumbling. How could he protect his family from the Foot Clan, if they were members of the Foot Clan?

Donatello moved close to Leonardo. He timidly put a hand on the frustrated turtle's shoulder. Speaking for the first time, Donnie's soft voice was a harsh contrast from his shouting elder brothers. "We are always in danger."

Raphael raised an eye ridge. "What was that?"

Michelangelo remained silent, his eyes wide. He just wanted his family together again.

Gaining courage, Donatello squared his shoulders. "I said, we are always in danger. It doesn't matter if it's from the Foot Clan, or the Purple Dragons, or the Triceritons. We are warriors. We are ninja. Danger, fighting, getting hurt. It goes with the territory."

With no interruptions from his audience, Donatello pressed onward. "I agree with Leo. As the leader of the Foot Clan, Leo was able to bring order to the streets of New York City. But look what else has happened."

Donnie felt Leonardo tense underneath his hand at his words. "Leo, you've been stuck with the Foot for six months. And now Commander Mozar is here. After our escape, you know that he will hunt us down."

Donatello squeezed the silent turtle's shoulder, letting his words sink in.

Donnie continued. "And who is it going to be after that? The Government? Another alien species? We are mutant ninja turtles. We are the outcasts of society. That doesn't exactly set us up for a peaceful life."

The three younger brothers glanced at one another. Donnie was right. Today the problem was the Foot, tomorrow who knows.

Leonardo looked up at Donatello. The purple masked sibling met his brother's gaze as he gently pleaded. "Look at what working on our own has done to this family Leo."

The words struck home, causing the last of Leonardo's hold on his emotions to fall away. Flashes of worry, frustration, and fear all vied for prominence on his face.

The three younger siblings met each other's eyes. This was the Leonardo that they knew. Their loving, caring, kind hearted older brother. The brother who always felt like he had to carry the weight of protecting his family, alone.

Michelangelo stepped forward, encouraged. "Master Splinter always said we are stronger as a team."

Raphael also advanced. "We need you bro, and you need us."

Leonardo remained silent as he looked into the faces surrounding him. The intelligence in Donatello's eyes. The hope in Mikey's gaze. The confidence in Raph's look. This was Leo's family. His brothers.

Leo replayed Donnie's words in his mind. His genius sibling was right. Something Donnie said had struck a chord, the words standing out from the rest.

 _Set us up for a peaceful life._

Leonardo straightened, capturing everyone's attention. Intrigued by the sudden change, Raphael asked. "What is it Leo?"

With a look his brothers have affectionately dubbed his leader face, Leo quoted a line from a poem he had recently read.

"Only in death can you truly be free."

Donatello raised an eye ridge, immediately catching on. He recalled his chess match with Leonardo. The plan they had started putting together.

Donnie said. "Checkmate."

Raphael's eyes narrowed in frustration. _Checkmate? What does chess have to do with anything?_ His brothers were speaking in riddles now.

Michelangelo frowned. _What are they talking about?_

A wave of relief washed over Donatello. His patience had finally paid off.

Leonardo squared his shoulders. They had no other choice. He would not let the Foot continue to harm his family.

Ignoring the questioning looks from their confused siblings, Leonardo addressed Donatello. "The original plan stands. Death will bring us peace."

Donatello nodded. He was already mapping out his next steps. "We've just got a few more pawns now."

All this talk about life and death, caused Michelangelo to let out a gulp.

Raphael crossed his arms in front of his plastron.

What exactly was this crazy plan that Leo and Donnie had come up with?

* * *

 **A/N: Great question. I promise that you will learn about Leo and Donnie's plan...eventually. Evil I know. Let's travel to Sri Lanka for today's treat. Virtual wattalappam to those who review! Thanks Silver Dragon SD for the treat suggestion!**


	18. Pawns And Hearts

**A/N: Flikaroo looks at their plot bunny.**

" **Umm, you know that people are curious about what Leo and Donnie's plan is right?"**

 **"Are you going to tell them?"**

 **The plot bunny shakes it head.**

 **Not yet.**

" **You are evil sometimes, you know that?"**

 **The plot bunny gives Flikaroo a mischievous smile.**

 **Sorry guys I tried but it appears that you are going to see the plan in action BEFORE you get the details.**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: Apparently writers with stubborn plot bunnies are prohibited from owning the turtles.**

* * *

Chapter 18-Pawns And Hearts

After reviewing the details of Leo and Donnie's plan, the recent events finally caught up to the four tired siblings. Following a few hours of sleep, Donatello tucked himself away at a spare table in one of the laboratories inside Foot Headquarters. Once the genius turtle was well stocked with supplies and caffeine, Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo returned to the top floor of the building. Leonardo sat in Master Shredder's favorite chair. Raphael and Michelangelo stood near the young leader as they waited for their guest.

Escorted by the young Elite Guard, Hun entered the throne room. Remembering his last one-on-one meeting with Leonardo, Hun immediately bowed to the black masked turtle seated before him. The younger Elite bowed as well, then remained near Hun. Rising from his knees, Hun gasped in surprise at the sight. On either side of the young Foot Leader, stood one of Leonardo's brothers.

Confused, Hun forgot formality for a moment. "What are those two freaks doing here?"

Leonardo bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing out loud. Hun's reaction wasn't a surprise. In fact, Leo was counting on Hun's predictability for this part of the plan. Raphael crossed his arms in front of his plastron, a smug look on his face. Michelangelo's grin couldn't get any wider.

Leonardo kept his voice level. "I would be careful how you speak Hun. You are looking at the newest members of the Foot's Elite Guard."

Hun stuttered. "But how are they? When did those two?"

Leonardo cut him off. "Hun, the members of the Foot Clan are not of your concern. As I told you last time, I am not the Shredder."

Rising from his chair, Leonardo walked towards the confused human. "Now let's discuss why you are here. I have a task for the Purple Dragons."

* * *

After receiving his assignment, a simple retrieval of foreign goods, Hun found himself escorted out of Foot Headquarters by Shinji and Sin'ichi. The blonde giant's thoughts were still reeling over the fact that two of Leonardo's brothers were now within the Foot Clan.

Hun eyed the silent Elites as they walked. Hun said. "What do Saburo and Shiro think of this?"

Sin'ichi stiffened at the question before he answered. "They are gone. Raphael and Michelangelo have earned their places as members of the Elite Guard."

Hun raised an eyebrow at this new information. _First Leonardo, now two of his brothers. The freaks are taking over the Foot Clan._

Hun looked at the two Elite ninja. _This has to stop. Someone has to stop this._

As if reading Hun's mind, Shinji stopped walking. He gripped his battle axe tightly as he spoke through clenched teeth. "Someone must stop this. Yet, honor demands that we follow the laws of the Foot. But you are Purple Dragon. You do not. There is one who wishes to destroy the young master's brothers."

Intrigued Hun crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Who is it?"

Shinji said. "He is an off worlder, Commander Mozar."

Hun nodded. He had heard rumors about this off worlder. "Maybe I'll just have to give the Commander a little visit then."

Sin'ichi said. "Commander Mozar wants Raphael. Let him take the red and orange turtles. With his brothers gone, the young master will be forced to focus on his leadership duties to the Foot Clan."

Hun's hatred for Leonardo was well known. The young Elite pointed his spear at the blonde giant. Sin'ichi growled, making the threat clear. "The Commander will have no claim on the young master. Leonardo belongs with the Foot."

 _Loyal Elite Ninja Idiots._ Hun wanted to punch the Elite. But now was not the time to argue. First he would lead the Commander to Foot Headquarters. Then Hun could worry about taking over control of the Foot Clan for himself.

* * *

Hurrying before the young Elite returned, Donatello placed a tanto into the waiting hands of each of his brothers. Donatello kept his voice low. "Remember upon impact the."

Raphael cut him off. "Relax Donnie." Raph squeezed Donatello's shoulder. "We've got this."

Leonardo walked into the room. Accepting the tanto offered by Donatello, Leonardo spoke softly. "The Elite will be returning soon."

Michelangelo looked at his siblings. "I guess this is it then."

Leonardo turned towards the doorway, placing the tanto in his belt. The black masked turtle nodded as Shinji and Sin'ichi entered the room. The younger Elites gave Leonardo a bow. "Young master."

Leonardo moved to face Donatello. Despite going over every outcome of their plan, the purple masked turtle could not hide the fear in his eyes. The plan was risky, and his brothers' lives were on the line.

Leonardo ached to comfort his troubled sibling. But Leo had to maintain his position as the leader of the Foot Clan a little longer. "It is time."

Donatello nodded and slung his brown duffle bag over his shoulder. Turning, he followed the young Foot Elite as they escorted him out of Foot Headquarters.

Once the young Elite were out of hearing range, Leonardo addressed his remaining brothers. "Tonight, we will end this."

Raphael nodded in agreement. _Finally._

Raph was eager to exact revenge on Commander Mozar. But the red masked turtle was struggling with his other emotions. Leonardo placed a hand on his brother's arm. The black clad leader could feel the tension radiating off of his passionate brother. "This is going to work Raph."

Raphael shrugged the hand off. "Leo, I trust you and Donnie. But right now we are just sitting here, doing nothing!"

Raphael wasn't worried about the plan. Heck, the hot head would risk his own life for his brothers any day of the week. Leonardo followed Raph's gaze. It was Michelangelo the second eldest was worried about.

Michelangelo rolled the tanto in his hands, but remained uncharacteristically silent. The introspective turtle did not notice the concerned looks coming from his elder brothers.

Leo gave his hot headed brother a gentle shove. "Go. Work off some stress." He mouthed the rest. _I'll talk to Mikey._

With a nod, Raphael left his oldest and youngest brothers alone.

After watching Raph leave, Leonardo sat down next to his troubled brother. Mikey continued to look at the tanto in his hands.

With the Elite's departure, Leo was able to let down his guard. Leonardo bumped his shoulder against Mikey's. "Penny for your thoughts?"

Finally putting the knife in his belt, Mikey turned his gaze to Leo. A whirlwind of emotions flashed in his eyes.

Hoping to get his brother talking, Leo asked. "Are you worried about the plan?"

Mikey shook his head. _No._

Like his brother Raphael, Michelangelo had complete faith in the plan that Leonardo and Donatello had put together. Why wouldn't he? After all, Leo was a brilliant strategist. And Donnie, well he was just plain brilliant, period. Any plan put together by those two, was bound to work out in their favor, no matter how risky it seemed.

Leo hummed for a moment in thought. _Mikey's not worried about the plan. Then what is it?_ Leonardo began going over all of the recent events that had happened to Michelangelo. _Mikey found Raphael and he has returned home. Donatello was kidnapped by Commander Mozar but now he's free and has rejoined as well. Then Mikey became a Foot Elite so that we could be a family again._ Leonardo paused. _Wait a minute, Mikey had to kill Saburo so that he could take his place and become one of the Elite Guard._ Suddenly realizing the problem, Leo spoke again. "Forty-seven Triceritons."

Mikey raised an eye ridge. _What?_

Leonardo continued. "One day in the dojo, Raphael and I were sparring. He was trying to connect with me. He admitted to killing forty-seven soldiers during the Triceriton Civil War."

Mikey let out a deep breath. Leo knew him well. Even though Mikey had realized that it was the only way to rejoin with Leonardo, the price was high. Maybe too high for the young turtle. He had never been in a fight with the **intent** to kill someone before.

Mikey's voiced cracked as he asked. "And how many for you?"

For a moment, neither sibling spoke, each staring at the floor. Then Leo shrugged as he recalled his discussion with Raphael. Leo's voice was laced with sorrow. "I don't know Mikey. After a while, I just stopped counting."

Michelangelo's eyes grew wide at the admission.

Leo continued. "Mikey, the number of people that Raph and I have killed. It doesn't matter. Every life is precious. Taking someone's life, it should **never** be taken lightly."

Mikey turned tear filled eyes to his eldest brother. "But Raph was in a war. You were merely following the Shredder's orders. And I."

Leonardo cut him off. "And you were acting from the heart. The Foot Elite will never leave us alone. Donnie, Raph, you. The three of you would always be a bargaining chip for them to use. You were trying to protect this family. Trying to bring us together again. Raph was loyal to Traximus. I was loyal to the Shredder."

Leo gently placed his arm across his brother's shell, pulling Mikey close. He closed his eyes and let his forehead rest against Mikey's own. Leo's voice had grown soft. "And you were loyal to this family."

Michelangelo began to tremble. Sitting next to him was the big brother that Mikey had longed for all of these months. The turtle hidden underneath the cold mask shown to the Foot Clan. The sibling who scared away his nightmares, chased away his fears, and shielded him from those who would do his family harm. The big brother Mikey had fought for, even killed for, so that Leonardo could finally come home.

Michelangelo's tears began to fall. Leo placed a kiss on Mikey's forehead. Engulfing his upset brother in a hug, Leo began rubbing soothing circles across his brother's shell as he murmured in Japanese. "Thank you Mikey. Thanks for not giving up on us. Thank you for bringing us together as a family again."

* * *

 **A/N: Well no details on the plan yet, but I did post this chapter pretty fast. And it had some brotherly fluff. That counts for something, right? Virtual Mango lassi's to those who review!**


	19. Not Just A Stick

**A/N: Flikaroo tries to bribe plot bunny with carrots from reviewers, in exchange for the details of the plan.**

 **Plot bunny counters with a SECOND chapter of brotherly fluff and RAISES with some humor included too.**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: Nope, I still do not own the turtles.**

* * *

Chapter 19-Not Just A Stick

Leonardo walked into the dojo to find Raphael pounding away on a heavy bag.

Recognizing that it was Leonardo who had entered the room, Raph did not pause from his attack on the bag. "How's Mikey?"

Leo said. "He's still a little shaken up, but he'll be fine."

Raph nodded as he began another series of jabs and strikes on the bag. Mikey had taken the separation from his brothers the hardest out of the four of them. It was good that Leo had spent some one on one time with the youngest turtle.

Leo thought back to his talk with Mikey. How upset his youngest brother was. Mikey's mood was proof that Leo had been unable to shield his brother. Leo's eyes scanned Raph's body. The red masked turtle was covered in a thin layer of sweat. Leo's eyes fell upon the Foot Clan tattoo on Raph's arm. The mark was physical proof of Leo's inability to protect his brother.

Leonardo shifted his weight, the guilt beginning to set in.

Raph caught the look on Leo's face out of the corner of his eye. He stopped his attacks and glared at Leonardo.

Leo backed up a step. "Raph?"

Raph narrowed his eyes. He knew that look on Leo's face. The look of guilt, the look of failure, the look of shame.

"Leo, don't."

Confused, Leo shrugged. "What?"

Crossing his arms in front of his plastron, Raph said. "You know what. That guilt tripping crap that you always pull."

Exasperated, Leo defended himself. "What would you have me do Raph? Look at everything that's happened!"

Raph growled. "During the Triceriton Civil War, there was a lot of stuff that I wished I could have changed. Things I wanted to prevent. People that I tried to save."

Leo's face quickly shifted to despair. Before Leonardo could react, Raph lunged for his brother. Pinning his arms to his sides, Leo was stuck in Raph's strong embrace.

Unable to free himself Leo hissed. "Raph, let me go."

Raph's response was to strengthen his hold. With his face close to Leo's ear, Raph lowered his voice. "You know what I learned during the war Leo. The past is the past."

Leo pleaded. "Raph."

Ignoring his struggling sibling, Raph continued. "Don't dwell on the things you can't change bro. This family has been reunited. And this time, no one is going to let go."

Conceding his defeat, Leo stopped his struggles. With his brother no longer fighting him, Raph loosened his grip.

Leo relaxed in Raph's embrace, drawing comfort from his brother's strength.

Oh how he had missed his siblings.

After a moment of silence, Leo asked. "When did you get so wise Raph?"

Raph's deep voice chuckled as he redirected the compliment. "I don't know what you're talking about bro. I leave that philosophical crap to Master Splinter."

Raph squeezed his brother once more, before breaking his hold. "It's good to have you back Fearless."

Leo smiled warmly. "It's good to be home Raphie."

* * *

Michelangelo hovered near the entrance to the dojo. After his talk with Leo, Mikey was beginning to feel like his old self again.

Sticking to the shadows, he was able to listen in on the conversation as his two eldest brothers reconnected.

Turning on his heels Mikey walked away from the dojo.

The smile on his face, couldn't get any bigger.

* * *

Donatello hesitated for a moment in front of April's window. He remembered Raphael's recap of his encounter with April during her date with Casey. Donnie wasn't looking forward to a swatting session courtesy of an enraged red head.

 _Well no sense in putting it off any longer._ Taking a deep breath Donnie tapped on April's window.

Hearing the tapping on the glass in the next room, April excused herself from the conversation with Casey.

April's face lit up in surprise as she cried out at the unexpected visitor. "Donnie!"

Donatello climbed inside. He looked at April for moment with a sheepish grin on his face. "Umm, hi April."

Donnie had to brace himself as he was engulfed in April's fierce hug. "It's good to see you again Donnie."

With her anger already spent on Raphael's return, April was just happy to see that Mikey's brothers were all slowly coming back home again.

Realizing that Donatello was alone, April asked. "Donnie, where are your brothers?"

Before he could reply, April felt the purple masked turtle stiffen as Casey's loud voice called out. "Ape, everything okay in there?"

Heavy footsteps approached the duo. Donnie pushed April behind him, reaching for his bo. The purple masked turtle chastised himself. Donatello never considered that April might have had a visitor. _And they call me a genius?_

April reached out and grasped Donatello's arm. "Donnie wait. That's Casey Jones. He was Raph's roommate."

Recognizing the name, Donnie straightened out of his pose. He returned the bo back to the holder on his carapace as the vigilante entered the room.

Casey stepped forward. Curious, he looked up and down at the ninja turtle with the large stick on his shell.

Casey said. "And which one of them brothers of Raph's are you?"

* * *

"And now Raph and Mikey are members of the Foot Elite Guard."

April blew out a breath, processing Donnie's tale. The red head didn't think that the four brothers reuniting was going to be easy. But she certainly did not anticipate that they would have to join the Foot Clan to join up with Leonardo.

April said. "Raph and Mikey are members of the Foot Clan now? Wow."

Casey only half listened to Donatello's recap of events. He was too distracted by the interaction between their guest and April. Unlike her encounter with Raph, April's fury appeared to have dissipated. She was delighted to have Donatello back. The red head kept a hand on Donnie's arm during the entire conversation. It was clear that April was very happy to have Donatello around again.

Casey knew that April and Mikey were close friends. The vigilante didn't realize that April had become close to one of Mikey's other brothers as well. Casey began assessing Donatello. The purple masked ninja wasn't as brawny as Raphael or as toned as Michelangelo. In fact, this brother appeared to be rather gentle. The fact that Donatello was sitting here, while Raph and Mikey had killed to join the Foot Clan, only fueled Casey's opinion. _Donatello is the weak brother._ _The dude doesn't even carry more than one weapon!_ Distracted, Casey kept staring at the stick peeking out from Donatello's shell. _Just one stick. Even I carry more than that. Geez, is Raph the only one who carries a blade? How are we going to rescue Raph and his bros with this guy helping us?_

Casey's inner musings were interrupted by a throat clearing.

Donatello had noticed that Casey was distracted throughout the conversation. _This plan is not going to work if one of us isn't focused._ "Is there something I can help you with Casey?"

Pulling his attention to the present, Casey cleared his throat. "Umm, nah."

Donatello's intelligent eyes stared into Casey's. "You've been staring at my weapon since I arrived. What is it?"

Casey rubbed a hand over the back of his neck awkwardly. He didn't want to start any trouble, but he couldn't help himself. "Yeah, well, I don't mean no disrespect and all. But how are we going to rescue your bros? I mean, well, you just carry a stick."

Donatello had to bite back a laugh. The odd looks from Casey were because he didn't realize how powerful a weapon the bo could be?

April let out a groan. Leave it to Casey to stick his foot in his mouth, as usual. "Casey, all Raphael's brothers have been trained as ninja. Each one carries a different weapon."

Casey shrugged. "No offense dude, but you are only carrying one stick. At least that orange dude Mikey carries two of them."

Donatello shot April an incredulous look. He's really going to challenge what weapons his brothers and he have chosen?

April wanted to smack her head on the table.

"Tell me Casey, did you ever happen to spar with Raph?"

Casey shook his head. _No._

"Raph and I are usually fighting alongside each other, not against each other."

Donatello's eyes glinted with mischief. "Care for a little sparring then?"

Always in the mood for fighting, Casey smirked. "Sure thing." Then unable to help himself, he taunted. "I'll try not to hurt you."

Donatello's smile grew wide. "Oh Casey, I don't think that is going to be a problem."

April touched Donatello's arm. If it weren't for the purple mask, April would have guessed she was looking at Michelangelo.

The red head kept her mouth shut. Speaking with her eyes she pleaded with Donatello. _Please, go easy on him._

* * *

Casey, April, and Donatello gathered on the roof of her apartment building. Casey pulled a golf club from his bag.

Donatello pulled the bo from the holder on his back. Looping it behind his elbows, he used the staff to help stretch out his shoulders.

April asked. "Casey, are you sure you want to do this?"

Casey shrugged, absently twirling the golf club. "Look at him Ape. He's smaller than Raph. He's less built than Mikey. And he only carries one weapon. How tough can he be?"

April shook her head. The red head began counting how many bags of frozen peas she had in her freezer.

* * *

Casey groaned as he applied the frozen peas to the bump on his head.

"But it's just a stick."

Looking up rental companies at her computer, April smirked. "You asked for it."

Casey's response was to groan again. "I still don't understand how one stick can be so painful."

April stopped working on the computer and looked over at Casey. "I told you Casey, each brother is a master of their chosen weapon. Raphael, the twin sai. Michelangelo, a pair of nunchaku. And Donatello, the bo."

"I guess those twins sticks."

April interrupted. "Nunchaku."

Casey corrected himself. "I guess those nunchaku that Mikey carries are more dangerous than they look too."

April snorted. "Indeed."

Stopping her work again, April waited. "Well, go ahead ask. You are just dying to know."

Casey smiled as he adjusted the peas. _She knows me too well._

Donatello entered the room.

"Alright I'll bite. So what weapon does this eldest brother of yours use?"

Swapping Casey's warm bag of peas with a new, colder one, Donatello grinned as he replied. "Leonardo uses the katana."

Casey raised an eyebrow.

April smiled as she added. "Twin katana."

Casey groaned as the coldness soothed his bruises. It would figure that the final brother also carried bladed weapons. If he could be in this much pain from just one stick, the vigilante hated to think how painful two swords would be. "Remind me never to spar with him."

Satisfied that Casey would now be able to focus on the upcoming mission Donatello chuckled.

The genius turtle approached April. "So guys, here's the plan."

* * *

Commander Mozar sat in his chair, staring at his uninvited guest.

The hulking blonde man was still on his knees as he addressed the Triceriton.

"The word on the street is that you are looking for a certain red clad turtle."

His guest suddenly perking his interest, Mozar leaned forward in his chair. "What do you know of that terrapin scum?"

Hun rose to his feet. "He has become one of the Foot Clan's Elite Guards."

Mozar raised an eye ridge. "Foot Clan?"

"The Foot Clan are the black masked ninja that control the streets of New York City. They are led by another turtle, Leonardo."

The Commander growled. "That black masked terrapin stole Raphael and his brothers from me."

Sitting back in his chair the Commander looked at the blonde giant. He didn't understand what the purple mark on his arm was for. But Mozar did know how to identify when someone carried a personal grudge against another. The light haired human had approached the Triceriton for a reason. "What do you want?"

Anger flashed in Hun's eyes. Hun has always hated Master Shredder's freak of a son, Leonardo. For years Hun had to stand by and watch as Master Shredder wasted his time grooming young Leonardo into a skilled warrior. During all of that time, the efforts and loyalty of Hun were pushed aside. The opportunity to lead missions, the recognition, passed over, time and again, in favor of Leonardo.

Hun's hands clenched into fists. Now there were more of them, three more freaks to be exact. Those freaks were running the Foot Clan and ruling the streets of New York City. And Leonardo was at the helm of it all.

Hun replied. "I can lead you to them."

Commander Mozar asked. "And what do you want in return?"

Hun smiled. "Make Leonardo's death very slow, and very painful."

The Triceriton grinned. He was already liking this large blonde human.

* * *

 **A/N: It looks like a battle is coming up very soon. Virtual Green Tea Ice Cream to those who review!**


	20. Checkmate

**A/N: To those who have reviewed, thank you so much! Your reviews keep me writing. Now, with the past two chapters filled with fluff, the time has come for some action.**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: With what I'm about to put the boys through in this and upcoming chapters, there's no way anyone would let me own the turtles.**

* * *

Chapter 20-Checkmate

Marching alongside his new teammates, Hun looked down at the weapon in his hands. The blonde giant grinned. The Triceriton blasters would be no match for a building full of ninja fighting with mere sticks and swords. Hun couldn't wait to see the look on the faces of those meddlesome turtles as they were shot down one by one.

As a warrior race with advanced technology, stealth wasn't part of the training for a Triceriton soldier. Instead of sneaking around in the shadows, the Triceritons preferred a more direct approach. The soldiers halted in front of the building. They aimed their blasters and blew out the front doors to Foot Headquarters. Pumped full of adrenaline the invaders charged.

Chaos quickly ensued. Foot ninja leapt for cover, attempting to avoid the weapons fire. Following behind the Ranger Unit strode Commander Mozar, with Hun maniacally grinning by his side.

The Commander yelled. "Terrapin scum! No more hiding! We have come for you!"

Something silver was tossed into the room. The device emitted a high pitched wine, before letting out a burst of light. Everyone covered their ears and closed their eyes to the assault. Once the light had dissipated, a cloud of smoke filled the room.

"Face me terrapin scum!" Barked Commander Mozar.

The smoke cleared, revealing Leonardo and the Foot Clan's Elite guards.

Mikey spoke first. "Chill dinosaur dudes, no need to shout."

A grin spread on Raphael's face. "I ain't never been one to hide from a fight Mozar."

Leonardo's eyes were cold, but the young leader remained silent.

Commander Mozar smiled at the sight of his prey. He pointed his blaster at the red masked turtle. "This ends now terrapin scum."

The Commander pulled the trigger.

Nothing happened.

Shaking and smacking the blaster, Mozar tried again.

Still nothing happened.

Leonardo and the Foot Elite pulled out their weapons. The three turtles sent their genius brother a silent thank you. The device worked exactly as Donatello had predicted. The electromagnetic pulse from the device tossed into the room mere moments earlier, short circuited the Triceriton weapons. The Triceriton blasters were now useless, leveling the playing field.

Raphael smirked as he twirled his sais. "Looks like your weapon's not working Mozar."

Enraged, the Commander slammed his ruined blaster onto the ground. "Then I'll just rip you apart with my bare hands." Mozar lunged for Raphael.

Raphael adjusted his stance to absorb the first hit. "I'd like to see you try."

Leonardo growled his order. "Threats to the Foot Clan must be eliminated. Foot ninja, attack!"

Michelangelo shot after the approaching Triceriton soldiers. His nunchaku twirled rapidly.

"Alright horned dudes, let's see what you've got."

Leonardo leapt after his brother, enabling the two turtles to fight shell to shell.

The younger Foot Elite turned and focused on the Triceritons that were attempting to leave the room.

No one would invade Foot Headquarters and live to tell about it.

* * *

Inside the oversized rental van, April, Casey, and Donatello pulled up to the Foot building.

Noticing the smoky entrance, Casey commented. "Looks like they started the party without us."

Donatello leapt out of the vehicle. His trusty brown duffle bag was slung over his shoulder. "Casey, come on."

With a grin, Casey hung the golf bag over his shoulder.

April called out. "Be careful guys."

With her companions gone, April moved the rental van farther away from the building and parked. She began readying for triage. _This plan had better work._

* * *

Casey and Donatello followed the path of fallen soldiers. Periodically Donatello would move away from Casey's side to plant some of his homemade bombs. The purple ninja would suddenly reappear again. The duo continued to make their way through Foot Headquarters, searching for Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo. Eventually Casey and Donnie found the heart of the battle. The sight of the large Triceritons in action, caused the vigilante to halt, stunned.

Casey breathed out. "Whoa."

Donatello yelled. "Casey, focus!"

Shaking his head, Casey began searching the crowd for Raph's brothers.

Casey located Michelangelo first. The orange turtle was fighting against two Triceriton soldiers. His movements were erratic, but impactful. Mikey bounced around like an armed pinball.

Next, Casey found Raphael. His red masked friend was attacking a large Triceriton with a ferocity that scared the hardened vigilante. Raph's strikes were strong and violent as he growled at his foe.

Finally, Casey's gaze landed on a turtle sporting a black mask. Wielding twin katanas. _That must be Leonardo._ The sword wielder moved with the grace of a jungle cat, yet stuck with the precision of a deadly snake.

Casey turned to speak to Donatello, to find the purple clad turtle had vanished, again. _Damn ninja stealth!_

With Donnie once again off completing his task, Casey was left with only one thing to do. A grin spread across Casey's face as he pulled a bat out of his golf bag.

It was time to bust some heads.

* * *

Michelangelo was having a grand ol'time fighting against the Triceritons. It was always exhilarating to take down a foe much larger than himself.

The orange menace began another sequence of backflips. A lucky Triceriton soldier managed to grab Mikey by the belt. The acrobatic turtle let out a yelp of surprise as he was yanked downward. The tanto from Donatello fell out of Mikey's belt as the orange ninja landed.

Realizing what happened, Mikey let out a cry of despair. "No, my knife!"

The approaching soldier kicked the knife out of Mikey's reach. Forced to ignore the weapon for now, Mikey twirled his nunchaku rapidly and went on the offensive.

* * *

The sound of Mikey's cry reached Raph, causing the sai wielder to turn away from his attacker. Raph's eyes widened at the sight. Focused on the opponent in front of him, Michelangelo did not realize that Hun was approaching him from behind. The blonde giant had an evil grin on his face. In his hand, he held Michelangelo's missing blade.

Realizing what was about to happen, Raph panicked. He was tied up fighting Commander Mozar. There was no way that he would get there in time. Desperate, Raph called out. "Mikey look out!"

Turning at Raph's yell, Leonardo's eyes quickly located Michelangelo. Leo cried out. "Mikey, behind you!"

Startled by the despair in his older brothers' voices, Mikey turned. For once in his young life, the quick footed turtle was a second too slow. The blonde giant's fist connected with Mikey's jaw, causing him to jerk backwards. Already off balance, Hun was able to slam Mikey into the ground. Before the orange turtle could recover, Hun straddled on top of him. Hun's larger size had effectively pinned the youngest turtle beneath him.

Leonardo's eyes widened. He quickly finished off his opponents, but he wasn't going to make it to Mikey's side in time.

Hun's cold eyes locked with Leonardo's. His smile grew wider. Hun's his voice dripped with disdain. "As you ordered Young Master. Eliminate all threats to the Foot."

Hun plunged the knife downward into Mikey's plastron. Blood began pooling around the blade. Michelangelo felt a burning sensation move through him. Within seconds the orange masked turtle fell limp underneath Hun.

Leonardo roared as he tackled the blonde human. "Hun!"

The sword wielder and Hun rolled around on the ground. The two foes each struggling to gain the upper hand.

* * *

Shinji approached the fallen turtle. Michelangelo wasn't breathing. He had no pulse. Shinji called to his brother in Japanese. "The orange turtle is gone."

Sin'ichi nodded and continued fighting.

Shinji quickly moved away from the body to resume his attacks.

So far, the battle wasn't faring well for the Foot Clan.

* * *

Casey knocked a Triceriton unconscious and raced to Mikey's side. He dropped to his knees. _Oh Mikey._

"Think you carry him to the van?" Casey jumped at the sound of Donatello's voice. One of these days ninja stealth was going to give him a heart attack.

Casey watched as Donatello quickly checked over his fallen brother. The orange masked turtle looked frighteningly still, yet Donnie did not seem too concerned.

Casey nodded. "I've got him." The vigilante picked Mikey up with a grunt, then raced out of the room.

* * *

Leonardo and Hun grappled on the ground, each fighting to overthrow the other. Hun grabbed the tanto from Leo's belt. At the same time, Leonardo grabbed Hun by the shoulders and flipped him over his head. Regaining his feet, Hun sprang forward with a wild swipe of the knife, causing Leo to step backwards. For a moment, Leo debated about letting Hun stab him with the tanto. Then Leo thought about his opponent. Hun hated him. There was no guarantee that Hun would stop after stabbing Leo with the stolen knife. Hun took another swing and Leo ducked as he considered his options. Yes, death itself was part of the plan. But, death brought upon by the hands of their foes, was NOT.

Leonardo narrowed his eyes. Sometimes things don't always go according to plan. Leo couldn't take any chances. The black clad turtle blocked Hun's strike, then followed through with a roundhouse kick to Hun's hand, sending the blade spinning out of range.

Hun quickly reached for a sword discarded by one of the Foot ninja. "I've just killed one of your brothers. And now I'm going to do the same to you, freak!"

Leo pulled one sword from the holders on his shell and smirked. "Come and get me."

Unlike the other warriors in the room, Leonardo was not blinded by rage. After a few moments of trading blows, Leo found his opening. The sword plunged into the blonde giant. As he pushed his weight forward onto the blade, Leo leaned in close and hissed in Hun's ear. "I told you Hun, disrespect me again, and I will kill you."

Twisting, Leo yanked his sword out. Hun's body crumpled to the floor. Leo used Hun's clothing as he wiped the blood from his blade.

No one would ever harm his family again.

* * *

With all of the fighting causing confusion, Donatello did not think anyone would notice him. Already finished with the other locations, Donnie began placing his homemade bombs in pre-determined spots around the last room.

Unfortunately for Donnie, the younger Foot Elites did notice him.

Landing a blow with his battle axe, Shinji asked in Japanese. "Why is the purple one here?"

Facing his own foe, Sin'ichi jabbed forward with his spear. "The better question is, what is he doing?"

* * *

Finished with his task, Casey raced back into the room. So far, everything was going according to plan. With Mikey's body safely inside the rental van with April, the vigilante had returned to help. Casey surveyed the battle, searching for Raph's brothers among the combatants.

Donatello was moving along the perimeter of the room. It was clear that Donnie was attempting to avoid any direct conflict. Instead he appeared focused on his pre-appointed task as he circled the room.

Nearby fought Leonardo. His two blades slashed out at any incoming foes that drew near.

Leonardo and Donatello looked like they were taking care of themselves. Casey's eyes then fell upon Raph. Used to covering his friend's back in a fight, Casey began heading towards the hot headed turtle.

* * *

Slightly dazed from a blow to the head, Raphael slashed out at Mozar with his sai. Raph had almost forgotten how strong Triceritons were. And with that increased strength, came more power behind their punches.

Mozar wildly looked around the room for a weapon. He noticed a discarded knife near his boots. Picking up the blade he charged towards the red masked turtle. The clang of metal striking metal rang in the air as Raph's sai met Leonardo's discarded tanto.

Raph looked up from his foe and surveyed the battle. Mikey was gone. Raph searched for his older brother. Before his eyes located Leonardo, they found Casey Jones. The red ninja disliked having to throw one of his weapons. Sai were more useful for blocks and strikes. But sometimes you had to make due with what you had. Raph quickly threw the sai in his hand, hard as he yelled to his friend. "Case, duck!"

Casey Jones ducked as the sai flew over his head. With deadly accuracy the weapon hit home. The Triceriton who had been trying to sneak up on the masked vigilante crumpled to the floor.

Raph pulled the tanto from his belt and continued battling against Commander Mozar.

Recognizing the blade in Mozar's hand as Leonardo's, Raph cursed. His elder brother was without his tanto. That wasn't part of the plan.

* * *

Curious as to what the purple masked turtle was doing, Shinji and Sin'ichi began making their way across the room. Soon the two Elites were able to listen in on the conversation.

Leonardo's voice carried over first. "How much longer Donnie?"

"I just need a few more minutes."

Having overheard the exchange, Shinji turned to his teammate. His eyes blazed with anger. "Brother, it would appear that we have a problem."

* * *

Raphael hated to admit it, but Commander Mozar was a really good fighter. The Triceriton may not be fast, but he was still a strong and experienced soldier. After all, he had been Prime Leader Zanramon's second for a reason.

Mozar taunted. "Your end is near terrapin scum."

Raphael seethed. "Then I'm taking you with me."

The Commander and Raphael were equally matched. And both soldiers were tiring out. Each began to make sloppy mistakes. Raph struggled to temper his rage and remain focused. Seeing an opening Raph plunged his sai into Mozar.

But turtle luck was not on Raph's side this day.

Despite his best efforts, Raph's thirst for revenge had blinded him. The hothead had been so focused on striking the Triceriton with his weapon, he missed when the Commander followed up with a blow of his own. Leo's tanto pierced Raphael's side. A burning sensation began to move through him. The serum worked fast, slowing Raph down.

With the life draining out of the Commander, the body fell forward. The red clad turtle could not move out of the way in time. Raph fell backwards onto his shell with a grunt. The Commander's body landing on top of him. The arm holding Raph's own tanto twisted during the collision. The red masked turtle felt a second burning sensation, this time beginning in his leg. Then Raph's world fell into darkness.

* * *

Shinji and Sin'ichi saw the Triceriton leader fall on top of the red turtle. Raphael was covered in blood and not moving. It appeared that now two of Leonardo's brothers' were gone.

The two Elites hurried to join their young master before anything else could happen. They were quickly losing control of the situation. And that was simply unacceptable.

Leonardo's brothers were expendable. But Leonardo was not.

The Elites could not lose the young leader too.

* * *

Watching the large Triceriton falling on top of his hot headed friend, Casey raced forward as he cried out. "Raph!"

The panicked tone to Casey's voice caused Leonardo and Donatello to turn, scanning for their brother.

Now at Raph's side, Casey rolled the dead Commander off of his friend. The first thing Casey noticed, was that there was not one, but two, tantos sticking out of Raph.

Casey's eyes widened. _That wasn't part of the plan!_

The vigilante's voice rose up an octave as he yelled. "Donnie!"

Immediately noticing multiple knives sticking out of Raphael, Leonardo breathed. "Raph, no."

Concern quickly morphing into panic, Donnie peered past his eldest brother. His eyes grew large at the sight of his fallen sibling. _That wasn't part of the plan!_

Leonardo gripped Donnie by the shoulder. "Donnie, go."

Donatello threw his brown bag onto the floor. Thinking fast he pulled a metal tube out of his bag and entered the coordinates. Donnie pressed the Utrom portable transmat device into Leonardo's hand. "I've already started the countdown."

Both turtles stared at each other for a moment. They knew that they were in trouble. Their well-crafted plan, was quickly spiraling out of control.

Leonardo nodded, his face unreadable. He recognized the device Donnie handed to him. "How long?"

"Three minutes. Press the green button."

Donatello hesitated for a moment. "Leo, you don't have the tanto anymore. What about the Elite?"

Leonardo's eyes grew cold. They did not have time to waste. "Donnie go. Take care of Raph and Mikey."

Donatello looked longingly at his eldest brother for a moment. Reluctantly Donnie turned to help Casey with Raphael. Donnie really hoped that this was not going to be the last time he saw his eldest brother alive.

* * *

With his body fighting on auto-pilot, Leonardo considered his options. He had already lost his tanto during the battle. But now Leo had the Utrom portable transmat device. The strategic turtle could work with that. Leo began adjusting the plan. If he timed it right, he could use the Utrom portable transmat device to escape instead. When the building exploded, any Foot survivors would just assume that Leo was killed in the blast.

Leonardo watched Raph's human friend and his genius brother tend to Raphael. The two teammates struggled to find their grip on the blood soaked turtle. Once Raph was secured, the duo quickly ran out of Foot Headquarters. Leonardo stayed behind, ensuring that Donnie and Casey were able to depart uninterrupted. Following their safe departure, Leonardo sheathed his swords. He turned towards the exit and found himself facing the crossed ends of a battle axe and a spear.

Leo cursed under his breath. It appeared that turtle luck was not on his side tonight.

Shinji shook his head as he spoke in Japanese. "Forgive us young master. But you are not following your brothers."

Leonardo's eyes bore into the young Elite's before him. "This building is about to explode. Let me go."

Sin'ichi held his stance. "No. You are coming with us."

The black masked turtle's mind raced to find a solution to his current predicament. As long as the young Elite Guards knew that he was alive, they would never allow Leo to leave the Foot Clan.

But how was he going to "die" when he no longer possessed one of Donatello's modified tanto's?

Sin'ichi gripped his spear tightly. "You are the leader of the Foot Clan. But you are still young. You have become misguided by these so called brothers of yours. Your recent behavior will be forgiven."

Shinji's body grew tense. "Membership within the Foot Clan is for life. You are Master Shredder's son. Your place, your life, belongs with the Foot Clan. You must come with us. You have no choice."

Leo narrowed his eyes. After everything he had done tonight, how could the young Elites still think that Leo would stay with the Foot Clan?

 _These two are nuts!_

The countdown Leo had been running in his head was quickly reaching zero.

He was almost out of time.

He had to end this.

Now.

Leo's voice was cold. "That is where you are wrong. There is always a choice."

The black masked turtle quickly withdrew a sword from the scabbard on his shell. Leo would rather face death, than remain separated from his family any longer.

"I would rather die than stay with the Foot. My place is with my brothers."

Leonardo plunged the sword into his side. The long blade pierced the space between his plastron and carapace.

Sin'ichi screamed as he moved forward.

Upon Leonardo's death, the Foot Clan would be left without a leader. The Clan's elders would disband the New York faction of the Foot. Sin'ichi and Shinji would lose their rank as the Elite Guard. They would return to their position as lowly soldiers. They would be forced to wait once again for an opening within the organization.

Years of ninja training had Sin'ichi reacting. The young Elite moved to catch Leonardo's body before it hit the ground. Shinji moved forward in an attempt to assist his brother.

The explosive charges left in the room by Donatello began to go off. The pain in Leo's side was quickly becoming unbearable. Spots began to cloud his vision. The young Elite's fingers brushed up against their falling leader. Leonardo pressed the green button on the device in his hand. The three ninja were engulfed in a white light as Leonardo's world faded to black.

* * *

 **A/N: Whew, this was the longest chapter yet. So it doesn't appear that things went according to plan. The next chapter will pick up where this one left off AND you will finally get the full details on how the plan was supposed to go. Until then, why not leave a review before you leave? I bribe with virtual treats. Virtual caramel covered popcorn to those who review!**


	21. Not Part Of The Plan

**A/N: You guys are so smart. A shout out to LilyTheNinjaGirl and Sairey13, who have both already figured out the plan.**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: If I promise to keep all of the turtles alive in this fic, then can I own them? Please? Pretty please?**

* * *

Chapter 21-Not Part Of The Plan

Casey placed Michelangelo's limp form on the floor of the van. He then turned and hustled back to rejoin the fight. April quickly administered the antidote created by Donatello, before taking a seat next to her unconscious friend. The red head held one of Mikey's cool hands into her own. Biting her lip, she felt for Mikey's pulse. April breathed a sigh of relief when she found it. The pulse was faint, but it was there. The antidote was working. But that discovery did not make the sight in front of her any easier on the eyes. The blood all over her friend's plastron may have been part of the plan, but it was still unsettling to see the normally energetic turtle looking so lifeless. April rubbed slow circles onto Mikey's palm with her thumb as she waited for any news about his brothers.

Suddenly, the doors to the vehicle were thrown open, causing April to let out a startled yelp. The red head looked on in horror as Casey and Donatello struggled to place Raphael's limp body into the van. April's brow furrowed. Something about the red masked turtle looked different compared to Michelangelo. With eyes widening in realization April let out a gasp. Raphael was covered in double the amount of blood as Mikey! _What the?_

Casey and Donatello climbed into the van. But something was wrong.

April's quickly glanced around the van, searching for an answer.

They were missing something.

Counting three turtles, April's mouth fell open.

No, they were missing someONE.

 _Where is Leonardo's body?_

A sinking feeling began to build in April's gut as she asked. "What happened? And where's Leonardo?"

Donatello ignored the questions. "We've got to get out of the blast range."

Casey jumped into the driver's seat. "Where to Donnie?"

Donatello said. "Casey, drive three blocks away from Foot Headquarters. That will put us out of range. After the blast we'll have to swing back and circle the building."

Donnie turned his attention to April. "How's Mikey doing?"

Recognizing she was now dealing with Dr. Don, April scrambled to assist Donnie. Her questions would have to wait. "He's still unconscious. His breathing and pulse rate look normal. I gave him the antidote you left."

Donnie nodded. "Good. Grab me that syringe and vial over there. Actually, I'll need two vials."

April raised an eyebrow.

The genius turtle replied to the unspoken question. "Raph got two doses of the serum. He's going to need two antidotes."

April nodded. At least that explained all of the extra blood on Raphael's body.

With the syringe in his hand, Donnie placed the needle into his brother's arm. He pushed down on the plunger. Donatello watched as the liquid drained into his older brother.

Raphael had received an overdose of the serum.

That wasn't part of the plan.

Unable to keep the worry out of his voice, Donatello palmed his brother's face, speaking softly. "Raph come on. Please. This has got to work."

* * *

Despite having parked blocks away from Foot Headquarters, the van still managed to shake from the force of the explosion.

Casey looked out the window as the smoke began to curl around the space where the tall skyscraper once stood. "Wow. Donnie, did you do that?"

Donatello nodded. But now was not the time to praise his explosive skills. They had to find Leonardo. "We've got to find Leo."

Casey hit the accelerator and began circling the van around the fallen building. Donatello leaned over Casey's shoulder, searching for his brother among the wreckage. The purple masked turtle's stress level couldn't get any higher. First Raph and now Leo.

 _This can't be happening._ Donnie started breathing in short breaths. They've come too close and risked too much. They couldn't lose now. He was beginning to panic. Donatello required time to think and to plan. Leonardo was the one who could always keep calm under stress, not him. Donatello's knuckles became white as he gripped the seat in front of him. They had to find Leonardo, they just had too.

 _Where the shell is he?_

It took two passes of the van circling Foot Headquarters, before the smoke cleared enough to make out the shapes in the dark.

Donnie pointed out the window. "There!"

Following Donnie's finger, Casey saw Leonardo sprawled on the side walk. On either side, lay the younger Foot Elites.

When the van stopped, Donatello shot out like a bullet from a gun. He raced over to his fallen brother. Dropping to his knees Donnie's voice wavered. "Leo?"

It didn't seem possible, yet Leonardo's body was covered in even more blood than Raphael's. Once again shifting into Doctor Don mode, he pressed the gauze into Leo's side, trying to slow down the bleeding.

Donnie's voice was laced with worry and grief. "Oh Leo, what did you do?"

The team medic shook his head as he attempted to piece together what happened. Pressing harder on the wound, he noticed his brother's bloodied sword. Then the position of the two Foot Elite's compared to Leonardo. Immediately the scene clicked into place in the genius turtle's mind. _Leo must have been discovered by the Foot Elite before he could use the Utrom portable transmat device. Without the tanto, Leo had no way to fake his death._ Looking at the angle the sword penetrated, Donatello grimaced as he came to the obvious conclusion. _My idiotic brother stabbed himself with his own sword._

Finishing his triage of the wound, Donnie scooped up his eldest brother. Now he had two patients to worry about.

* * *

Master Splinter had been unable to shake the uneasy feeling that lingered in the air all evening. Unable to meditate, Splinter hoped to settle his nerves with a cup of soothing tea. Alone in the kitchen, the sound of quickly approaching footsteps caused Splinter to hurry towards the entrance of the lair. Splinter's eyes widened at the sight. His missing son Donatello came bursting through the door and raced to his laboratory, completing ignoring his sensei. In his arms Donnie carried the bloodied and unnaturally still form of his eldest son, Leonardo. Hot on Donnie's heels was a stricken looking April O'Neil. Following behind the duo was a man Splinter did not recognize. The black haired stranger grunted from the strain as he struggled to carry a bloody looking Raphael to Donatello's laboratory. And missing from the unexpected group, was Splinter's youngest son, Michelangelo.

Splinter's cup of tea shattered on the floor.

Confused, Casey turned when he suddenly felt the removal of some of Raph's weight. Even though he had been told that Raph's father was a mutant rat, Casey couldn't stop the yelp of surprise when he laid eyes on the unexpectedly close mutant. Quickly remembering his manners Casey spoke. "Thanks. Umm, I'm Casey Jones."

Splinter had many questions, but they would have to wait until his sons were out of danger. "Come, we must hurry." The human and the rat carried Raphael into Donatello's laboratory. Splinter grimaced as the smells assaulted his sensitive nose. His short tempered son was covered in blood. But the blood didn't smell like it was from a turtle, or from a human. Splinter wiggled his nose but he could not figure out what the source was.

With a look of intense concentration on his face, Donnie began barking out orders to his assistants. "Put Raph on the cot over there."

"Casey, fetch Mikey from the van. Put him in his room. It's on the second floor, top of the stairs, third door on your left."

Casey nodded and rushed out of the lab. Master Splinter breathed a small sigh of relief at Donatello's words. At least all of his sons were finally home.

"April, check on Raph's vitals. Master Splinter, I need your assistance."

Ignoring the brusque tone, and struggling to keep his curiosity in check, Splinter moved swiftly to his smartest son's side. The blood on Leonardo smelled different. This blood smelled familiar.

Splinter asked. "My son, what has happened?"

Donnie was frantically wrapping another layer of gauze around the unconscious leader. "Leo's been stabbed with a sword."

The gauze wrapped around Leo was soaking through almost as fast as Donatello was wrapping. The wound was bleeding heavily. They did not have time to stitch the site closed. The bleeding needed to be stopped, _now._

Splinter let out a hiss. He was glad that Leonardo was unconscious. This wasn't going to be pretty.

Donatello's voice rose up an octave. "This isn't working. We've got to stop the bleeding. Quickly."

Donatello was overwhelmed. This wasn't part of the plan. The medic's voice began to shake. "Master Splinter, I-I d-do-don't h-ha-have anything to c-ca-cauterize the wound."

It had been a long time since Splinter had seen his smartest son off kilter. Splinter placed a steadying paw on Donnie's arm. "I have a tanto we can use."

Splinter ran out of the room to retrieve the knife.

Donatello looked down at his pale brother. He was an engineer not a Doctor. Sure Donnie was the best choice out of all of his brothers for medical care. When it was basic medical care.

But this much blood loss?

And patching up a sword wound?

Trying to keep himself from panicking, Donnie began to breathe in and out, slow and deep. He could do this. He had to do this.

Master Splinter returned with the tanto. "We need to sterilize the blade."

Giving a brief nod, Donatello blanched. He would have to heat the blade up until it was very hot. Then press the heated metal against the wound in short bursts. Donatello began to shake.

Splinter placed his paw on Donatello's arm. "My son, you can do this."

Donatello looked up at his father's face. Master Splinter radiated a confidence that soothed Donnie's nerves. Gathering his resolve, the purple medic nodded. "Get Casey. I'll need you two to hold Leo down."

* * *

Finished with checking his patients Donatello sank down heavily in the couch. April and Casey had already left, with promises to check in on the brothers tomorrow.

As the rush of adrenaline began to wear off, Donatello realized how tired he was. But he couldn't go to sleep. Not until all three of his brothers had woken up.

A cup of hot tea was placed in front of him, causing Donnie to jerk in surprise.

Splinter's caring eyes looked down at him. "My son. Please come with me."

Donnie wasn't surprised that Master Splinter would want to talk. After all, Donatello just burst through the doors to the lair with all three of his brothers, after having disappeared for six months.

The weary turtle was surprised that his father led them both to Donatello's room to talk. Donnie sat down on the bed. The purple masked turtle looked down at the drink in his hands. He wasn't normally a fan of tea. But right now, he was too tired to care. It was clear that Master Splinter wanted answers.

Donnie let out a deep breath. He wasn't sure where to begin.

Sensing Donatello's inner turmoil, Splinter spoke first. "My son, what has happened?"

Unsure of where to start, Donnie sat on his bed in silence for a few moments. _Well they always say one should start at the beginning._

"The day Mira came over with April, she brought the Triceriton Mind Probe. I don't know why I ever let her leave it in my lab."

Donnie looked at Master Splinter, the self-loathing in his tone evident. "I suppose it is because I never could resist a technical challenge."

Splinter patted Donnie's hand, encouraging his son to continue.

Donatello was silent once more, struggling to organize his jumbled thoughts.

He began anew. "Well, it really all began that day Leo left to join the Foot. After we returned to the lair, Raph and I. We argued. He walked in on me while I was working on the Triceriton mind probe. Raph jumped to conclusions."

Donatello looked up again this time with guilt in his eyes. "I should have listened to you Master Splinter. I should have talked to Raph sooner. I tried to reason with him, but he was too angry. He wouldn't listen. After Raph stormed out, Mikey came in. He was still hurting from Leo leaving. I think Raph's departure just pushed Mikey over the edge. But he was right. It's my job to fix things around here."

Donnie's hands had curled into fists as he spoke. Splinter reached over and slowly uncurled his son's hands.

"My son. Your intellect knows no bounds. And while we are grateful for your skills, it is not your job to fix your brothers when they act up."

Donatello continued.

"Mikey wasn't the only one hurting. I missed Leo too. And I knew what Raph was going to do when he rushed out. I figured if I could repair the Triceriton mind probe, Mozar would come to pick it up. Then I would be able to find Raph. Convince him to come back and help us free Leo from the Foot."

Donnie looked down. His defiant voice took on a hint of sadness. "But it was taking me too long to fix the device. I tried to hack into the Foot Clan's firewalls. To start keeping in contact with Leo. Make sure that he was ok."

Donatello took a sip of tea. "Playing online chess, the Foot Elite would never know who Leo's opponent was. Then one day, Leo came to me with a plan. Why not use the Shredder's teachings against the Foot? One of the Shredder's favorite strategies was to fake his own death. So Leo proposed, why not fake his own death while simultaneously destroying Foot Headquarters? With Leo and the building gone, the Foot elder's would deem that it wasn't worth the investment to rebuild in New York. Anyone left would be requested to serve the clan in Japan instead."

Splinter raised an eyebrow. It was a bold and dangerous plan.

"Leo would use a tanto to pretend that he had killed himself. I designed a knife with a retractable blade. On impact, it would release pig's blood. At the same time, a needle from within the center of the blade would emerge. The serum would make it look like he was dead. Once we had the body, I could use the antidote I created and revive him."

Splinter leaned back, processing the information. The plan was brilliant, just like his two sons. It combined Leo's strategic thinking and Donatello's technical genius. _Pig's blood, that must've been the smell that was in the lab when my sons first arrived._

"Please my son. Continue."

Donatello felt no need to talk about his time as a captive of the Triceritons. Not yet anyway. He wasn't ready.

"I ran into Raph and Mikey on Mozar's ship. Shortly thereafter, Leo showed up with the Foot Elite. We escaped to Foot Headquarters."

Donatello paused again. It wasn't his place to tell Splinter what happened with Raph, Mikey, and the two elder Foot Elites.

Splinter noticed the hesitation. But now was not the time to force Donatello into talking. Splinter would get the details in time.

"Donatello, what went wrong."

Donnie shook his head. "At first nothing. Mikey lost his tanto in the fight, but his "death" still went as planned. During the battle, Leo lost possession of his tanto. Raph was stabbed with both of them."

 _Well, that explains why Raphael was covered in more blood than Michelangelo._

Donnie's voice began to waver. "Raph received a double dose of the serum. It was an accidental overdose. That wasn't part of the plan. We had to get Raph and Casey out of there. I knew that the younger Foot Elite were somewhere in the room with Leo and me but I'd already started the countdown. We were running out of time. I handed Leo the Utrom portable transmat device, then helped Casey carry Raph to the van where April was already waiting with Mikey."

Donnie's voice grew soft. "I'm not entirely sure what happened after that. Foot Headquarters exploded. We found Leo among the wreckage. He was already unconscious, surrounded by the two younger Foot Elites."

His mouth suddenly very dry, Donnie drank his tea and continued.

"I know Mikey will be fine. And I think Raph will be too. Since he received a double dose of the serum, it should just take him a little longer to wake up."

"But Leo." With a look of grief on his face, Donnie almost whispered his next words. "Master Splinter, I think Leo stabbed himself with his own sword."

Looking down at the empty cup in his hands, Donatello felt completely drained. His eyes and limbs were twice as heavy as when he started. Finished with his tea, he placed the mug on the table beside him. Donnie's attempt to rise was stopped by Master Splinter.

Donatello protested. "Sensai, I have to go check on my patients."

The concerned father shook his head. "My son, you have done everything you can for your brothers. Now it is time for you to rest."

Donnie shook his head. "No Master Splinter, I can't rest until." Donnie was stopped mid-sentence by Splinter's finger on his mouth. _Why do I suddenly feel twice as tired as before?_

Splinter said. "Sssh, my son. Your brothers are home. You are all safe." Splinter leaned his genius son backwards, adjusting the pillow behind his head. He pulled a blanket over the tired turtle. "Now it is time for you to rest as well."

 _Maybe I'll just close my eyes for a few minutes._ Donnie's mind started moving slower and slower, but he was still able to process what was happening. _The tea._ _Sensai must've slipped a sleep aide in my tea._ Donnie was going to have to remember that little trick the next time Raph or Leo acted like difficult patients.

Splinter's furry hand gently caressed Donnie's forehead. "Sleep now my son. And welcome home."

* * *

 **A/N: Sooo, was the plan what you expected? Better? Worse? (Well hopefully not worse) Regardless, at least there was a nice father son moment included too. For today's virtual treat we are going to Portugal. Virtual Serradura to those who review!**


	22. The Price Of Freedom

**A/N: Thank you for your reviews and PMs. They make me write faster. And as proof, one day later, here's the next chapter.**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: The holiday season is almost here. What's the perfect gift for me? Why ownership of the turtles, of course.**

* * *

Chapter 22-The Price Of Freedom

Michelangelo ran across an open, grass filled field. He laughed alongside the sheep next to him. In a playful mood, the sheep tried to trip the wild turtle as he sprinted. Mikey giggled as he avoided the hoofs. The black sheep raced ahead, beating Mikey to their finish line. It was a large waterfall running down the side of a mountain. The source of the water was a glacier, the run off causing the liquid to be as crisp in taste, as it was cool to the touch. Upon the arrival of his playmate, Mikey's sheep turned and spoke to the orange masked turtle.

"It is time to open your eyes."

Surprised at the command, Michelangelo opened his eyes. It took a moment for the energetic turtle to realize why the ceiling above him looked so familiar. Mikey was looking up at the ceiling of his bedroom. He was home! The orange loving turtle placed his arms over his head. _Dude, what a weird dream._ Yawning, he gave a cat like stretch before jumping off of the bed. It felt good to be home again. _Sweet._ _It looks like Leo and Donnie's plan worked._ With a grin, he bounded out of his bedroom, eager to find his brothers.

Mikey ran down the stairs, taking them two at a time. Reaching the bottom Mikey paused, observing his surroundings. Something felt off. Mikey tilted his head to the side, listening. No noises emerged from the dojo. Nothing from Raph's room either. However, from Donnie's laboratory came the sounds of muffled voices talking.

Not bothering to knock Mikey burst into the laboratory. "Hey bro's, Mikey's h-." The sight in front of him caused Michelangelo to freeze, stopping mid-sentence.

On one cot lay what looked like an unconscious Raphael. And on the second, lay a very pale and also unconscious Leonardo.

A feeling of dread washed over Michelangelo. _The only time one of us sleeps in Donnie's laboratory is when one of us is hurt._

Something had gone wrong with the plan.

Mikey began to fall to his knees as he whimpered.

"No."

* * *

Donatello turned as his empathetic younger brother bounced into the lab. Donnie opened his mouth to speak at the same time Mikey's face morphed into one of grief.

In a display of speed only a master of Ninjitsu could possess, Splinter caught Mikey by the shoulders, gently helping his distraught son to the floor. "My son."

Michelangelo was not listening. The dialogue in his head already running through the worst scenarios. He had just gotten all of his brothers' home again. He couldn't bear the thought of losing any of them now.

Joining his father at Mikey's side, Donnie shook the orange clad turtle. "Michelangelo."

Mikey's breaths started coming out short and fast. He was going into shock.

Reaching back, Donnie slapped, hard. "Mikey."

The sting from the slap to the face brought the frantic turtle's attention back to the present. Startled, Mikey turned his misery filled eyes onto his older brother. He failed to notice that Donnie had taken Mikey's hand into one of his own. The last thing Donatello needed right now was a third patient.

Donnie said. "Mikey, listen to me. Raph is going to be fine. He received two doses of the serum instead of just one. It's going to take him a little longer to wake up. That's all. Do you understand?"

The orange turtle slowly nodded. The words gradually penetrating the haze of grief and confusion fighting for dominance in his mind.

Donatello soothed. "Mikey, Raph is going to be ok."

Mikey nodded again as he swallowed. _Raphie is going to be ok. He's just had two doses of Donnie's serum, that's all. Each of us was to get one dose. Raph got two instead._

Michelangelo began to relax. But his thoughts kept on moving forward. _Wait a minute, if Raph got two doses? Then why is Leo?_

Donatello cringed as he watched Mikey's face change again.

Something had gone wrong with the plan!

Starting to shake Mikey stuttered. "B-but if R-Ra-Raph got t-two doses, then w-wh-why is L-Le-Leo?"

Feeling as if he were defusing a ticking bomb, Donatello braced himself for the explosion. Master Splinter and Donatello's eyes met for a moment. The old rat nodded. There was no way around delivering the sad news.

Donatello said. "Raph got Leo's dose."

Mikey looked at his brother, confusion all over his face. "B-but then L-Le-Leo?"

The purple masked turtle paused for a moment, regretting what he would have to say next. "Leo, he was stabbed."

The mask of confusion was replaced with a look of horror. Mikey took in a deep breath before stuttering. "B-by w-wh-who?"

The question was uttered so soft, Donatello had to ask Mikey to repeat himself.

Mikey repeated the question, this time stronger. "B-by w-who?"

Donatello took a deep breath. He moved to hug his brother. Mikey tensed as Donnie's arms pulled him into an embrace. Donnie tried to brace himself for Mikey's reaction, but he could not keep the frustration from leaking into his voice. "I think he did it himself Mikey."

In Donnie's caring arms, Michelangelo jerked at the news as he drew in a sharp breath. Donatello gripped his little brother harder.

The distraught turtle whispered. "Donnie why? Why would he?"

Donatello spoke softly, switching to Japanese in an attempt to soothe his younger brother. "I'm not one hundred percent sure what happened Mikey. We found Leo outside of Foot Headquarters after the explosion. He was flanked by the younger Elite guards. His sword was covered in blood."

Michelangelo began mumbling in Japanese, the words too jumbled and too soft for Donnie to understand. Instead, the purple masked turtle remained silent, as he attempted to comfort his brother. There was no point in saying anything more anyway. Michelangelo's world had officially crumbled, again.

* * *

Master Splinter greeted April and Casey as they entered the lair. Donatello's phone call earlier in the day had informed the young couple that Mikey was awake and physically ok. However, the orange turtle's mental state, was a different story entirely.

April and Splinter locked eyes for a moment. Nodding at the silent request, the red head excused herself to go comfort her distraught friend. Casey shifted his feet, feeling awkward alone with the old rat.

Noticing his guest's discomfort, Splinter gestured to the kitchen. "Come Mr. Jones. Join me for a cup of tea."

* * *

April poked her head into the lab.

"Hey April." Donatello said as he forced a smile. The worry in his eyes gave away his true feelings.

With Donatello tending to Leonardo, Michelangelo was currently seated at Raph's bedside. April sat down next to Mikey. As she placed an arm around Mikey's shoulders, he leaned into his friend.

April said. "Your brothers are strong. They're going to be ok."

Too upset to speak, Mikey nodded as the tears silently soaked his mask.

Finished with his task, Donatello quietly took a seat. He reached for the cup of coffee and finished the luke warm beverage in one gulp. Placing the mug back onto the desk, Donatello ran a hand over his face. His worried eyes roamed over his three brothers.

They had to make it through this. They just had to.

* * *

Casey tried not to grimace as he sipped at the tea. He was more of a soda and beer kind of guy, but Casey did not wish to offend Raph's father.

Splinter said. "Donatello tells me that you and Raphael have been roommates these past six months."

Casey nodded. Unsure what the old rat across from him was thinking, the nervous vigilante kept his mouth shut.

Splinter's next words came as a surprise. "I want to thank you Mr. Jones. For taking care of my son. And for keeping him and this family a secret."

Casey shrugged at the praise. "Aww gee, it was nothing, Master Splinter. Raph's a cool guy."

Casey appeared a little rough around the edges. But so was Raphael. It was easy to see how the two could have become friends. Deciding he could trust this human Splinter smiled. "Welcome to the family Mr. Jones."

Casey smiled wide.

Maybe being stuck with the old rat wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

Raphael stared at the black sand between his toes. He took a deep breath, savoring the smell of the ocean air. The beach was beautiful. The coast gently curved as it extended as far as the eye could see. Turning around, Raph saw a large waterfall in the distance. A movement in the distance caused Raph to pause. _What was that?_

The shadow approached quickly, in a zig zagging motion. Uncertain if he was facing a friend or foe, Raph reached for his sais. The slots in his belt were empty. _Great, just great. The ol' turtle luck staying true to form._

Raph took up a defensive stance.

Stepping into the light, was a sheep. The animal snorted at Raph once before turning and running back from whence it came.

Raph gave chase as he called out. "Hey! Wait up!"

Despite Raph's best efforts, the sheep always remained in front. Suddenly, the sheep stopped. In his haste Raph failed to notice where they were heading. He gasped at the sight of the large waterfall. A beautiful view from a distance, the closer proximity displayed the waterfall's raw power.

Raph turned to his mysterious companion. "Who are you?"

The sheep blinked for a moment, as if considering the question. "Mikey sheep."

Raph frowned. _Mikey what?_

Raph could have sworn he saw a mischievous glint in the sheep's eyes. Before he could react, the animal charged at Raph. The Mikey sheep rammed the turtle hard enough to send him topping over the edge and into the waterfall.

* * *

Raphael could hear a sound from within the darkness. His plastron felt warm and wet. Raph slowly opened his eyes as he let out a moan.

The warmth and wetness quickly moved away.

"Raphie?"

Raph blinked a few times, clearing his vision while his brain caught up. _What the shell was that?_

The voice sounded familiar. Raph asked. "Mikey?"

Before the half-awake turtle could say anything else, he let out a grunt as Michelangelo pulled him into a tight hug. "Raph, you're ok!"

Footsteps approached from behind Michelangelo. Donatello came into Raph's view. A look of relief on his face. "Welcome back."

Raph tried to move, but Mikey stuck to him like glue. Raph shot a look at Donnie. "Umm, a little help here?"

With a smile, Donatello gently pried Michelangelo off of Raph. "Mikey, give him some breathing room."

Leaning back, Mikey quickly wiped his eyes, hoping no one would notice. Unfortunately, the orange turtle could not banish the redness from his eyes as easily.

Puzzled by what he assumed was Mikey overreacting, Raph shot Donatello a questioning look before scanning the lab. Doctor Don ignored the look as he waited for Raph's reaction. It would only be a matter of moments before Raph would realize that Leo was.

Donnie's thoughts were cut off by Raph's cry. "Leo!"

Expecting Raph to shoot upwards, Donatello firmly pushed the panicked turtle back onto the cot. "Stay down Raph. I haven't finished checking you over yet."

Not wanting a repeat of Mikey's performance, Donatello quickly repeated his explanation to Raphael.

"We found Leo after the explosion flanked on either side by the younger Elite guards. It looks like Leo was stabbed in the side. I've treated his injury but he's been unconscious since we've returned to the lair."

Raphael's concern morphed into anger. His eldest brother had been stabbed by a sword. Raph growled as he tried to shove Donatello backwards and rise from the cot. "Those Foot Elite are going to pay."

Donatello pinned Raph down, again. The stress of taking care of three of his brothers finally caused Donatello's own anger to rise to the surface. "Stay down until I am finished! You got two doses of the serum. After I've confirmed that you are ok. And only then. Can you get up from this cot. Are. We. Clear?"

It wasn't really a question, yet Raphael nodded anyway. Michelangelo stood behind Donnie, his eyes the size of saucers. Donatello's sudden rage caught everyone off guard. And it was never a good idea to piss off the smartest man, or in this case turtle, in the room.

Taking a deep breath, Donnie tried to regain some of his composure as he said. "Raph, Foot Headquarters has been destroyed. The younger Foot Elite are dead. No one is going after anyone. There's no one left."

Michelangelo narrowed his eyes. As usual Raph had jumped to conclusions, interrupting Donnie's explanation. Mikey had enough of his family keeping secrets. His voice was unnaturally cold as he demanded. "Tell him Donnie."

Raphael looked on in surprise at Mikey's sudden change of mood. First an angry Donatello. Now an angry Michelangelo. Was there something in the air of the lair all of a sudden?

Donnie shifted his weight, suddenly uncomfortable.

Raphael asked. "What aren't you telling me Donnie?"

This was the moment he had hoped to avoid for a little while longer. Donnie whispered his reply. "Leo's sword wound. I think he did it to himself."

Raphael growled.

Commander Mozar and the Foot were gone.

His family was finally free.

Raph's eyes wandered back to Leo's still form.

But was the price of freedom too high?

* * *

 **A/N: Gosh, what an emotional chapter this was. Whew! To lighten the mood it's time for a couple of fun facts.**

 **Fact One: The Casey and Splinter moment was added at the last minute. Thank you to Sairey13 for feeding my plot bunny the idea to include a Casey and Splinter moment. *Flikaroo waves thank you***

 **Fact Two: The sheep dream sequences were inspired by my trip to Iceland earlier this year. A beautiful country.**

 **And speaking of Iceland, today's virtual treat for your review is Jólagrautur (Icelandic rice pudding). Why not leave a review before you go? _  
_**


	23. All Shook Up

**A/N: There's only one brother not awake yet. It's time to check on Leo.**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: I keep searching the advertised sales, but I do not see ownership of the turtles available anywhere for purchase.**

* * *

Chapter 23-All Shook Up

Three days had passed since Raphael and Michelangelo had woken up. Every day after work April and Casey visited the small clan. Today, the young couple carried groceries as they entered the lair. Raph and Master Splinter were seated around the kitchen table. The room was quiet. One could have heard a pin drop if they chose to do so.

April broke the silence. "How's Leo?"

Master Splinter spoke softly. "Leonardo's condition has not changed. Donatello is checking on him now."

Casey asked. "And Mikey?"

Raph replied. "The knucklehead won't leave his side."

It was an attempt at humor, but the tone of Raph's voice displayed his unease.

Donatello emerged from his lab. "Hey April. Casey."

The resident doctor paused at the coffee pot. Distracted and stressed out, Donnie didn't even notice that the liquid he poured into his mug had already grown cold.

Talking to nobody in particular, April sorted through the supplies she brought. "And here's the milk. Some pepperoni's for pizza. Another jar of sauce. A jar of peanut butter."

After she'd finished restocking their shelves April turned to Casey, giving him a look.

For once, Casey didn't need any explanation. He nodded at the unspoken command.

April's voice was sad as she spoke. "Well I guess we'll see you guys tomorrow then."

Splinter said. "Thank you Ms. O'Neil."

Raphael and Donatello barely stirred as their human friends left.

* * *

Having finally convinced, well more like threatened, Donatello to go to bed, Raphael walked into Donnie's laboratory.

Leonardo's pale form lay on a cot. His plastron wrapped in bandages. Next to Leo sat Michelangelo. The heart broken turtle absently stroked his brother's hand, staring off into space.

Raphael sat down next to his youngest brother. His voice unusually soft. "Hey Mikey."

Mikey broke out of his trance. "Hey."

Raph asked. "No change?"

Mikey placed Leo's hand back onto the cot and reached over. He pulled the warm cloth from Leo's head. Rinsing out the fabric, Mikey replaced it with a new, colder one as he spoke. "Donnie said the fever's finally going down."

Raph nodded as he reached over, touching Leo's brow for himself.

It had been a stressful few days. Leonardo had developed a fever shortly after they returned to the lair. Donnie suspected that it was due to an infection stemming from his sword wound. Three days later, Leo's fever was finally starting to break. But the eldest turtle had yet to wake up.

Raph put his arm across Mikey's shoulders, pulling him close. Mikey leaned into Raph while the two brothers sat in silence. Hopeful eyes searched for any signs of consciousness from their eldest brother. Eventually, Mikey began to nod off. His head fell onto Raph's arm.

Raph knew it wouldn't do any good, but he tried anyway. He gently nudged Mikey. "Hey bro, why don't you go sleep in your own bed tonight? I can look after Leo."

Growing alert, Mikey stiffened. He turned to look at his well-meaning brother. After discovering that Leonardo was severely wounded, the youngest turtle had turned into a protective mamma bear. He refused to leave Leonardo's side.

Mikey rubbed the sleep from his eyes and swapped the cloths again. "No, I'm going to stay here."

Raph shook his head. He had just fought Donatello to get him to bed. Raph didn't have it in him to fight with Michelangelo too. Crossing the lab, he grabbed a blanket. Draping it over Mikey's shoulders, Raph's voice was gentle as he palmed his brother's face. "Good night Mikey."

* * *

Leonardo slammed his crampons into the icy surface. The glacier was old. The years of volcanic ash mixed in with the ice, giving the surface a peppered look.

Leo felt like he'd been hiking across this glacier for days. It was cold, and the sun rarely peeked out from behind the clouds. But most of all, it was lonely. In all his hours of hiking, Leo failed to see any signs of life.

Needless to say, the sudden appearance of a sheep, was a surprise.

Startled, Leo whacked his ice axe into the slippery surface as he let out a yelp. Regaining his balance, Leo asked. "Who are you?"

The sheep tilted its head for a moment, as if considering the question. After a few moments of silence, the sheep answered. "Mikey sheep."

Leo raised an eye ridge. _Mikey what?_

Before Leo could ask another question, the sheep took off at a lope. The animal moved quickly, having no difficulties crossing the icy surface.

Leo called out. "Wait! Stop!"

With the sheep ignoring his plea, Leo scrambled to follow. Unlike the sheep, Leonardo found himself constantly slipping and sliding along the glacier's slick surface. Sometimes the sheep came closer, other times it moved farther away. Yet the sheep always remained in Leo's sights. If Leonardo didn't know any better, he would have accused the animal of playing a game of tag with him.

With no preamble, the sheep abruptly stopped. It turned to face Leo.

Panting, Leo put his hands on his knees. He was grateful for the moment of rest as he asked. "Where are we going?"

Leo could have sworn he saw the sheep's eyes grow mischievous, before it jumped towards him. Startled, Leo fell backwards onto his carapace as the weight of the sheep landed on top of his plastron.

* * *

Leo slowly open his eyes. _What the shell was that?_

Blinking rapidly he surveyed the room. The weight of something warm and heavy across his plastron drew his attention.

Looking down Leo recognized a familiar orange bandana.

"Mikey?"

No reply came from his exhausted brother.

Leo closed his eyes as he collected his thoughts. _Mikey is ok. The plan must've worked. We're home!_ Leo tried to sit up. He didn't get very far before letting out a hiss of pain. _Why am I in so much pain?_

It took a minute before the memories came rushing back. Fighting the Triceritons. Raph getting stabbed. The younger Foot Elite blocking his path to follow his brothers. The countdown approaching zero. Leo clenched his fists as another wave of pain washed over him. Stabbing himself.

 _Oh yeah._

Leo struggled to breathe through the pain. No one ever said that a sword wound would hurt like shell! Maybe if he just sat up, it would help? Deciding it was worth a try, Leo attempted to sit up again. He didn't get very far before finding himself face to face with one very angry Donatello.

Startled, Leo croaked out. "Donnie?"

Donatello's eyes narrowed. Leo had just woken up. And the stubborn, self-sacrificing idiot was already trying to get out of bed. The irate turtle easily pushed Leo back down onto the cot as he hissed. "Stay down."

Mikey began to stir out of his slumber.

Ignoring the sleeping turtle, Donnie seethed as he began looking over his wounded brother. "Stabbing yourself? Leo, what the shell were you thinking?"

Leo's eyes widened. He'd never seen Donnie look so angry. Before he could defend himself, Mikey woke up. The orange turtle's eyes grew large at the sight of Leonardo awake. He lunged forward. "Leo, you're awake!"

Leo let out a grunt of pain as Mikey engulfed him in a tight hug.

Donatello pulled Mikey off of Leo, his hard eyes never moving away from Leo's face. "I gave you the Utrom portable transmat device to get out of there. Safely!"

Leo looked at his brothers. Donnie's anger did not hide how worried he was. And Mikey, his relief was almost overshadowed by how scared his youngest brother seemed. Leo felt like his siblings had become rubber bands. The rubber had been stretched to its limit. They were about to snap.

Donnie's raised voice brought Raph and Splinter rushing into the lab.

Raph said. "Donnie, what's the prob-?" He stopped mid-sentence, regaining his composure at the sight. "Leo, you're awake!"

Noticing Leonardo was awake, Splinter swiftly moved to his eldest son's bedside. Raph followed suit. The relieved red clad turtle gently pat Leo on his uninjured side. "It's good to have you back bro."

Splinter's eyes sparkled with joy. "Welcome home my son."

Leo gave a weak smile before glancing back at Donatello. Leonardo bit his lip to hold back a cry of pain. His frustrated brother was unwrapping Leo's wound with a less than gentle hand as he continued to berate Leo. "Stabbing yourself was never part of the plan Leo. How could you do something like that?"

The hurt in Donnie's voice echoed the pain that both Raphael and Michelangelo were feeling. But attacking Leonardo now? After he had just woken up from a serious injury? It just wasn't right. There would be time to deal with their emotional wounds, later. Disturbed by Donnie's behavior, Raph and Mikey looked at Splinter for guidance. It was unusual for Donatello to lose his temper. And taking it out on one of his brothers, well that was bordering on Raphael like behavior. They had to get Donnie away from Leo before he could do something he would later regret.

Mikey grabbed Donnie's arm, stopping him. "Dude, calm down."

The angry turtle shrugged his brother off. "I've got this Mikey."

Mikey reached out again. "Bro, I think you should stop."

Donatello swatted Mikey's had away from him.

Raphael barked out. "Yeah Donnie, what's gotten into you?"

Turning into a snapping turtle, Donatello yelled at his family. "What's gotten into me? Really Raphael? Let's see. First, you."

Leo tried to shrink into the cot as Donnie pointed at him.

"Ran off and rejoined the Foot as their leader. You didn't ask for help. Shell, you didn't even consider how it would affect the rest of us. And the best I could do, was check up on you by playing chess!"

Turning to his red masked sibling, the purple turtle gave Raphael a cold glare. "Then you. Ran off on your own. Out on a personal vendetta against Commander Mozar. You never even gave me a chance to explain what was going on. No one knew where you were. You could have been injured or even killed, and we would have never known."

Donatello turned to Michelangelo. His voice rose in pitch. "And you. Sitting back at the lair, wallowing in your misery. You never once reached out to me, or to anybody. You didn't try to help get this family back together."

Tears of frustration began to leek from Donnie's eyes as his voice turned hysterical. "This family fell apart. I thought I could fix it."

Donnie clenched his hands into fists, losing the battle to hold back his tears. "I tried to fix it. And then Mira. She was. Mozar. He."

Raphael's eyes widened. He knew where this was going. Raph quickly moved to Donatello's side, engulfing his brother in a hug.

Donnie mumbled against his brother's plastron as his body trembled. "Raphie, he killed her. Stepped on her like she was an insignificant little bug. My brothers' became members of the Foot Clan's Elite Guard. Leo stabbed himself to get away from the Elite."

Everyone looked on in shock. The stress and pressure had finally caught up to him. Donatello was crumbling before their very eyes.

Splinter walked over and touched his son's shoulder. "Donatello, my son."

Donatello continued to shake in Raphael's strong embrace.

Splinter pressed. "Please, come with me."

The rat's gentle eyes locked onto Raphael's concerned ones. "Raphael can tend to your brother's injuries."

Raphael nodded at the request as he stepped away from Donatello. The distraught turtle let his father lead him away.

Michelangelo looked back and forth. He was torn between staying with Leonardo and the door where his frenzied brother had just passed through.

Raphael encouraged him. "Go Mikey. I've got Leo."

With a curt nod, Mikey scampered out of the room.

* * *

Silence hung in the air of the lab. Raphael moved to continue Donnie's task of changing Leo's bandages.

Leo tried his best to remain still. He couldn't help but let out a hiss of pain as the tender spots were cleaned.

Raph paused for a moment. "Sorry bro."

Leo winced as he nodded. "It's alright."

As Raph worked, he voiced the question everyone had. "Why did you do it Leo?"

Leo raised an eye ridge at the inquiry, looking for clarification.

Raph reached for a roll of gauze. "Leaving us. Why do you keep doing it?"

Leo bit the inside of his cheek. He loved his family more than anything else in the world. He would do anything for them. But every time he tried to protect them, he somehow ended up hurting them instead.

The red clad turtle stopped for a moment, the hurt in his eyes fueling Leo's guilt.

Leo blinked back the tears that started to form. Leo stumbled to find an answer. "I don't know Raph. I just. Well, I'm trying to protect you guys. That's all. I never meant to cause more pain."

Raphael gave Leo a hard look. He would never understand how Leonardo could be such a brilliant strategist, yet he was constantly missing the obvious when it came to his family.

Shaking his head, Raph continued to redress the wound. "Bro, sometimes you are an idiot." As he wrapped the gauze, Raph thought about the past few months. Leonardo may have been the first sibling to leave the lair, but he wasn't the only one. The actions of each of the brothers had led to disappointment and hurt feelings.

Raph patted his brother's shoulder. "But you aren't the only idiot in this family Leo. We all screwed up."

A wave of relief washed over the injured turtle. This would be the closest Raph would ever get to admitting his true feelings. At least one of his brother's was going to forgive Leo for what he had done.

Raph looked at Leonardo's pale face. Raph had seen many injuries during the Triceriton Civil War. But the field medic had to admit that a sword wound looked especially nasty. And painful. Raph crossed his arms across his plastron. His body language daring Leo to try to get out of answering his question. "How's the pain?"

Leo raised an eyeridge. Raph didn't ask if he was in pain, just how much pain. Clearly Raphael wasn't going to let him slip by without a dose of pain killers. Leo hated pain killers. They made him sleepy and his mind foggy. His side was hurting like shell though. Leonardo admitted. "It hurts."

Raph grunted. Leave it to Leo to respond to a question about pain, without actually detailing how much pain he was in. The red masked turtle helped the eldest to sit up. Gathering up three pills and a glass of water, he handed them to Leo. "Here."

Still in shock at all of the extreme emotions brewing within the lair, Leo nodded. Under Raph's watchful eye, Leo swallowed the pills. It wouldn't be the first time Leo tried to palm pills while pretending to swallow them. Satisfied that his sibling had taken the medicine, Raph helped him lay flat again. It didn't take long for the drugs to work. He watched as Leo began to drift off. Raph palmed his brother's face as he struggled to stay awake. "Don't fight it Fearless. Let your body rest." Raph stood a moment longer over his older brother, before sitting down. "It's good to have you back bro."

Leo was asleep before he could reply.

* * *

Splinter gently pushed on Donatello's shoulders, forcing his distraught son to sit down.

Michelangelo peeked his head in the room, a worried look in his eyes.

Splinter rose to leave. "Michelangelo, come sit with your brother. I will go prepare some tea."

Eager to help, Mikey quickly walked into the room. He perched himself on the bed, next to Donatello.

The two brothers watched their father leave.

Uncomfortable with the silence Mikey said. "I'm sorry about Mira Donnie."

Donatello's shoulders trembled as he struggled and lost the battle to hold back his tears. Mikey wrapped his arms around his upset brother. He began murmuring soothing words in Japanese. Eventually Donnie's well of tears ran dry. With a couple of sniffles, he pulled away from his concerned sibling. He wiped at his eyes. "Thanks Mikey."

Michelangelo nodded. His eyes were sad as he looked at Donatello. His big brother was hurting and he wanted to help. But he wasn't sure how.

The pleading look on Michelangelo's face caused Don to frown. This family has already been through so much pain. _I don't want to be the cause of any more of it._

Donatello began speaking, softly at first. His words were slow as he gathered his thoughts. "The Utroms. They rescued me. My education, my health, everything was taken care of. But I knew that Mortu wasn't my real father. We never developed that type of connection. And I know you guys think that I'm smart, but among the Utroms, with their knowledge and technology, well, I was just seen as another average engineer. I tried to stand out, to be different. I thought if I could fix things, then I would become important. I could become special to Mortu and to my fellow Utroms. But to the Utroms, the only thing that was different about me, was the way I looked."

Donatello's words started coming out stronger. "Then Mira came along. She was the first Utrom to see me as different. I knew she was controlling and possessive, but to Mira, I wasn't just another engineer. I was no longer just average. We connected. To her I was special. So I ignored her flaws. It was nice to finally feel cared for by someone. To know that I was loved by someone. And to love them back."

With a trembling lip, Donnie looked at his youngest brother. "And now she's gone."

Mikey looked at Donatello, a determined look on his usually happy-go-lucky face. He shook his head. "You know bro, you are the smartest dude I know. That plan that you and Leo had. The tantos. The bombs. The antidote. You really are a genius Donnie."

A gentle smile passed on Mikey's face. "But sometimes you miss the obvious bro. You get so wrapped up in fixing things that you forget to stop and take a look around. We're a family. And to Leo, Raph, Master Splinter, me, you are special."

Mikey reached over and pulled Donatello closer. His voice was thick with emotion. "And you are loved."

Don let his head rest on Mikey's shoulders, his words echoing in his mind.

And you are loved.

Splinter hesitated by Donatello's bedroom door for a moment. The cup of tea for Donatello resting in his hands. A warm smile spread across his face. His sons were finally home. And together, given enough time, they would slowly heal.

* * *

 **A/N: So now we understand why Donnie was never able to kick Mira to the curb. And yay all the brothers are now awake. Thanks for your reviews and PMs. They keep me writing faster. Today's virtual treat for your review is Arroz Con Leche. Thanks to Booyakaholla for the treat suggestion!  
**


	24. Healing From Within

**A/N: Did you know that reviews and PMs are an author's fuel? Oh you did? Ok well, did you also know that there is only one more chapter left after this one for NVN? Oh, you knew this too? Ok, then did you also know, that there will be an epilogue?**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: Zip. Zero. Zilch. That's how much of the turtles I own. What a bummer.**

* * *

Chapter 24-Healing From Within

Leo awoke the next morning to find Michelangelo fast asleep in a chair next to his cot. Moving up slowly, Leo hissed as the motion tugged at his side. Finally upright, he looked at his sleeping little brother. Leo was grateful for Raph's forgiveness. But he couldn't get the scared look that was on Mikey's face out of his head. Or stop the loop of Donnie's heated words from replaying over and over in his mind.

 _This family fell apart._

Donnie had never mentioned what happened to the family after Leo had left. He merely let Leo think they were all ok. And Leo never questioned it, assuming that if there was a problem, his brother would have told him.

Leo frowned. Clearly he had assumed wrong. Leo's guilt began to wrestle with Raph's words.

 _We all screwed up._

Looking at his peaceful sibling, Leo's frown deepened. Leo had to admit that for once, Raphael was right.

* * *

Michelangelo slowly opened his eyes to find Leonardo scowling at the wall across the room, deep in his own thoughts.

Mikey cleared his throat. "You're hurting the wall's feelings bro."

Pulled out of his reverie, Leo gave the orange masked turtle a questioning look. "What?"

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Mikey grinned. "You were staring at the wall. Well, glaring at it really. You were hurting its feelings."

Leo gave his little brother a sad smile. "I'm so sorry Mikey."

Michelangelo shrugged as he tried to sort through his feelings. He knew that Leo wasn't apologizing for the looks at the wall. Leo was apologizing for the hurt he had caused his family. Leaning back in his chair, Michelangelo crossed his arms over his plastron. Raph had already filled him in on what Leo had admitted yesterday. It didn't excuse what Leonardo had done. But it was good to know that at least his older brother wasn't really suicidal. And the look of remorse on Leo's face, was a clear sign that the guilty turtle really did want to be with his family.

The two siblings stared at each other in silence. Leonardo could not read Mikey's face. The brother whose emotions were usually an open book, was doing an impeccable job of keeping his expression neutral.

Mikey titled his head. "You know, you really messed up this time Leo."

Leo diverted his eyes to the sheet underneath him. He mindlessly picked at the material. He was foolish to think that his other brothers would be as forgiving as Raphael.

Michelangelo frowned. Of course Leo would be beating himself up over what he had done. Self-blame, well that was one of Leo's specialties. The orange clad turtle never broke his gaze from Leonardo as he spoke. "What you did hurt bro. It hurt all of us. A lot. I don't think any one of us will ever be comfortable with you leaving the lair alone again. Ever."

Leo nodded but remained silent.

Michelangelo smirked. "And you may have to pick a new weapon."

Leo's eyes snapped to Mikey's face.

Shifting in his seat, Mikey continued. "Actually, I don't think you're going to be allowed to handle anything sharp anytime soon either."

Leo opened his mouth in protest. His jaw closed shut with a click. Michelangelo was right. After stabbing himself with his own swords, Leonardo would be lucky if he was even allowed to handle a mere butter knife in the future.

Michelangelo moved forward and grasped Leonardo's hand in his own. He squeezed, hard. His voice was laced with emotion. "Don't you _ever_ do something like that to us again Leo. _Ever._ It's like Master Splinter is always saying. If one of us goes down, we all go down. And that includes you too Leonardo."

The tone of Mikey's voice, paired with the use of Leo's full name, demonstrated a level of maturity the youngest turtle rarely showed to his family. Michelangelo was offering his forgiveness, but this would be the last time he would do so. Leonardo's breath caught in his chest. He nodded, unable to trust his voice.

Michelangelo's eyes narrowed. Things have been serious for too long. The emotional wounds would need time to heal. Right now, it was important to focus on what really mattered. What Mikey had longed for the past six months. His brothers were home. And that included Leonardo.

Michelangelo moved to hug his frustrating older brother in a hug as he whispered, his voice rough. "I forgive you Leo. But never again. Promise me Leo. Never again will you walk away from us, to try and protect us."

The youngest's forgiveness felt like a drink of water to a thirsty man. Leonardo nodded as he replied. "Never again Mikey. I promise."

Michelangelo gripped harder, unwilling to let go of his oldest brother. Leo greedily returned the squeeze, ignoring the pain it caused in his side. Mikey nuzzled against Leonardo, his heart swelling with joy. All of his brothers were finally home.

* * *

Donnie woke up with a dry mouth. He swallowed a couple of times, grimacing. _Why is my mouth so dry?_ His eyes fell upon the empty mug. _I've got to stop drinking tea from Master Splinter._ Suddenly, the memory of the day before came rushing back.

Donnie felt his stomach sink. Yesterday, Leo had finally woken up. And the first thing he did, was to start yelling at his eldest brother. Donatello put his head in his hands. How could he have lost his composure like that? Donnie's head snapped up as Raph walked in, carrying a glass of water. Master Splinter's sleep aide always left one waking up to a dry mouth.

Raph thrust the glass towards his brother. "Here."

Grateful, Donnie accepted the glass. He greedily gulped down the water.

Not one for subtly, Raph went straight to the point. "What happened yesterday bro?"

Feeling guilty, Donatello stared at the empty glass in his hands.

Raph was trying to be patient, he really was. But one brooding turtle in this family was more than enough. Raph reached over and snatched the glass out of Donnie's hands. He placed the glass on the table with a loud thud.

Raphael growled, his voice threatening. "Donnie."

Cringing under his brother's intense glare, Donatello shifted on the bed. He began slow, speaking softly. "I don't know Raph. I've been so worried. Everything happened so fast."

Donnie began to tremble. "And then we almost lost Leo."

Mikey had previously filled Raph in on his talk with Donatello. But it appeared that one talk hadn't been enough. Raph leaned over and grasped his brother's hand. He knew that Donnie always took it upon himself to be the Mr. Fix It of the family.

Raph said. "Donnie, if it weren't for you, Leo wouldn't even be here."

He squeezed Donnie's hand. "None of us would be."

Squeezing again, harder, Raph continued. "The plan worked bro. Maybe it hit a few snags along the way. But at the end of the day, it worked. The Foot are gone. Mozar is dead. And we are all back home."

The two brothers sat in silence, neither one willing to let the hand of the other one go.

* * *

Mikey walked back into the lab whistling. With the emotional baggage of these past months finally gone, the orange banded turtle felt more like his old self again. Mikey carried a tray of food. Eager to put the past behind them, he placed the meal on the table next to Leo. "How're you feeling?"

Emotionally and physically drained Leo's reply was curt. "Good."

Leo eyed the tray of food. Toast and orange juice. Not exactly an exciting meal.

Mikey caught Leo's gaze. He shrugged. "Sorry bro. I was told no heavy food. At least for today."

Leo stared at the tray. He didn't really care about eating anyway.

Mikey pulled up a chair and sat down. He let out a sigh. Leo was always a difficult patient. "Dude, you've been out for the past few days. You've got to eat something."

Leonardo didn't move.

But Mikey had come prepared with a plan. Sometimes, one just had to find the right incentive. Mikey said. "Look bro, I know you don't want to spend all day sulking here in the lab."

Leo's eyes finally turned onto Mikey.

 _Good, I've got his attention._ Mikey continued. "If you finish everything on that tray, I'll only give you half a dose of pain meds."

It didn't seem like much of a deal. Leo didn't want ANY more pain meds. He opened his mouth to protest but Mikey cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"And I'll help you to your room."

Now that was more like it.

Leo nodded in agreement and reached for the toast.

Mikey leaned back in his chair, a slight smile on his face. Sometimes all it took was a little bribery.

* * *

Leo moved slowly, supporting most of his weight on his youngest brother as they walked to his room.

Mikey watched his eldest brother like a hawk, ensuring that Leo actually swallowed the halved dose of pain meds. Unwilling to leave Leo alone, Mikey busied himself with tucking his big brother under the covers, careful not to jostle his injured side.

Leo watched his little brother. Sensing that Mikey was in no hurry to leave, Leo finally broke the silence. "Mikey, what happened after I left?"

Mikey tensed at the question. He continued to busy himself with the covers.

Leo reached out with his hand, gently grasping his brother's wrist. "Mikey, please."

Sitting on the side of the bed, Mikey blew out a deep breath. This was not a topic he really wanted to talk about. He gave Leo an abbreviated version. "Well, after you left. Donnie and Raph had a disagreement. Raph left seeking revenge on Commander Mozar. I blamed Donnie for you and Raph leaving, then Donnie left to try and fix everything, and I missed everyone terribly. Then, well you know the rest."

Leo raised an eye ridge at the summary. Clearly Mikey was leaving a lot of information out, but Leo could fill in the blanks. The fact that Mira and Donnie were both prisoners of Commander Mozar suggested that Donnie had spent at least some of his time with the Utrom. And the sudden appearance of a new human ally suggested that Casey Jones had become a close friend to Raphael. Yet the cause was the same, Leo had left to protect his family. And instead, he was the catalyst for them to fall apart. Despite the reduced dose of pain medication, Leo felt his eyelids beginning to grow heavy. _Damn pills._

Mikey noticed his brother starting to nod off. He wanted to stay with his elder brother, but he didn't want to smother him. After all, Leo always liked his space. Mikey reluctantly began to move. "I'll leave you to get some rest."

The medicine was working fast, but Leo had caught the glimpse on Mikey's face. Ever since Leo had woken up, the weight of hurt feelings lingered in the air. Raphael and Michelangelo may have forgiven Leonardo, but that did not mean that regaining their trust would be as easy. Leo had to start proving to his brothers that he wanted to be with them, just as much as he always wanted to protect them.

Leo reached out, holding onto Mikey's wrist, stopping him from rising off the bed. "No. Stay Mikey."

Thrilled that Leo was reaching out to him, Mikey happily lay down. He snuggled up to his eldest brother. "I'm glad you're back Leo."

Leo smiled as he drifted off to sleep. "I'm happy to be home Mikey."

* * *

Leo woke up to find Michelangelo gone. When his door opened, Leo slowly began to sit up. This time, the turtle balancing the tray of food in one hand, was Donatello. Donnie set the tray down on the table. In his other hand he held gauze and bandages.

Hoping Leo wasn't too mad at him for freaking out, Donnie tentatively spoke. "Your bandages need to be changed."

Leo eyed his genius brother warily. After a moment, he nodded his consent.

Donnie carefully inspected the wound as he changed the dressings. He hummed his approval. Leonardo was healing nicely. Knowing that Leo hated taking medication and that Mikey had already halved the dose, Donnie sat down. He pointed to the pills on the tray. "I know you don't like meds Leo, but if you are in any pain, you should take these pills here. It'll give you a chance to rest and let your body heal."

Leo eyed the pills but made no move to take them. He nodded to acknowledge his brother's order.

Donnie looked at Leo, the guilt displayed all over his face.

Leo's heart fell. Donnie was feeling guilty, but it wasn't his fault. Any one of them would have cracked under all the pressure lately.

Leo winced as he reached over. He took Donnie's hand into his own. "It's ok Donnie."

Surprised at how kind and understanding his brother looked, Donnie shook his head. "No, it's not. What I said to you the other day was wrong. I'm sorry Leo. I don't know what happened to me."

Leo squeezed Donnie hand. "No Donnie, you have nothing to apologize for. With everything that's been going on lately, any one of us could have cracked."

Donatello nodded, but did not pull his hand away.

Leo began rubbing small circles on Donnie hand with his thumb. He didn't want to start any trouble, but he just had to know. Leo's voice was soft. "Donnie, all those times that we played chess. Why didn't you ever say anything? About Raph leaving? About you?"

The purple masked turtle sighed. He had known that Leonardo would want answers. But Donatello didn't like the ones he had to give. The guilty turtle looked into his brother's forgiving eyes. Donnie spoke low, forcing Leo to strain to hear him. "After you left Leo, well, we didn't know what to do. Everyone was hurting."

Donatello felt Leo stiffen at the admission. Donatello squeezed Leo's hand. "No Leo, it wasn't your fault. It was the Foot Clan's fault. They are the ones who used us to get to you. That day you left, we came back to the lair. Mikey was angry, he yelled at Raph. Mikey needed time to cool off."

Donnie's eyes saddened. "Raph came to me for help. And there I was, working on the Triceriton mind probe. Master Splinter had told me I should talk to Raph. But I didn't know how. So I waited. And then it was too late. Raph stormed out."

Donnie shrugged, looking at Leo directly. "I thought I could fix everything. I thought it was all my fault. Sound familiar?"

Leo nodded as he swallowed around the lump in his throat. He had no idea that his family had been torn apart after he left.

Donnie sniffled. "I'm sorry Leo. I'm so sorry."

Leo shifted, pulling his brother into a hug. He could understand Don's desire to fix everything. The need to protect his family. It's what Leo spent every single day trying to do. "It's ok Donnie. You did fix us. We are all home again."

The two siblings remained silent, drawing comfort in each other's embrace.

* * *

 **A/N: It looks like brothers are on the mend. Of course, Leo still has one more person to talk to since he has returned home. Yes, Leo's chat with Master Splinter is coming up along with some fun for the turtles. Virtual Cheese Fondue to those who review!**


	25. Fun With Casey

**A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews and support for NVN. *flikaroo bows at the waist to show thanks* This part 3 exists, because of your reviews. And speaking of reviews, thanks to miceaholic for recommending that Leo not even be allowed to handle a spoon at first and thanks to Sairey13 for suggesting Splinter tell Leo a story during their chat. My plot bunny took your input and ran with it. I hope you enjoy the result. And a special shoutout to natalie1668, who has reviewed EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER of the NVN trilogy (that's over 57 chapters)!**

 **Please note: Character thoughts are in italics.**

 **Disclaimer: I still don't own the turtles, can you believe it? Yeah, me neither.**

* * *

Chapter 25-Fun With Casey

Wanting to give the broken family time and space to reconnect, April and Casey had stayed away for a few days. Receiving the all clear, April entered the lair with a reluctant Casey trailing behind her. According to Mikey's latest report, Leonardo has been making good progress with his recovery. And the family was slowly healing.

April greeted Master Splinter and Michelangelo, then immediately set her sights on Leonardo. She found the leader on the couch, propped up with pillows. A smile spread across her face as she greeted him.

"Hey Leo."

Brought out of his thoughts, Leonardo turned and smiled at the red head. It was good to see April again.

"Hello April."

April placed a gentle hand on Leo's arm. His side was still wrapped in bandages. The eldest turtle looked tired, but at least he was awake and moving around the lair. And most important of all, he was home.

April asked. "How are you feeling?"

Leo had to keep from rolling his eyes. He was certain that April meant well, but he was tired having everyone concerned about his health. His friends and family needed to pick a new hobby.

"Donnie said I should be able to start practicing again in a couple more days."

April nodded. Her thoughts turned back to the past six months. Leo leaving had started all of this. Her eyes narrowed at the blue banded turtle.

Leo felt the heat from April's gaze and raised an eye ridge in alarm. He recalled Raph's story on April's swatting session, after Raph dropped in on her date with Casey.

 _Uh oh! She looks mad._

April leaned closer, her voice dropped low. "If you ever do anything as stupid as leaving this family again, I will personally hunt you down, and drag you back to the lair myself."

Amused by the threat, Leo stared at the angry red head. Living within the Foot Clan, Leo was used to intimidation tactics. Heck he used them himself all the time. But this was April. She was Mikey's best friend. The one who finally managed to pulled Mikey out of his depression. Plus she helped Donatello with the plan. And she routinely brought them valuable supplies. Over time, April has proven herself to be a respected and welcomed addition to their clan.

Leo almost smiled. April wasn't trained as a ninja, he doubted she could really drag him home. Then Leo almost frowned. Yet April was almost as smart as Donatello. She was equally as resourceful as Michelangelo. And she was certainly as stubborn as Leonardo himself. It might be best to stay in April's good graces, just in case.

His decision made, Leo nodded slowly.

In the blink of an eye, April's anger vanished. She stood up and gently squeezed Leo's arm, her smile beaming. "It's good to have you home Leo."

Leo watched April walk away as he shook his head.

Women could be so confusing sometimes.

* * *

April interrupted the conversation between Raph and Casey. Grabbing Casey's hand she began to drag him towards the living room. "Come introduce yourself to Leo."

Casey was not looking forward to meeting the leader turtle. After getting his butt kicked by Donatello and his bo, Casey realized that there was a lot more than meets the eye with Raph's brothers. Out of the four siblings, Casey knew the least about Leonardo. But he did know that the blue banded turtle was crazy enough to blow up the building of his own clan. And anyone who had the balls to stab themselves with their own sword, was not someone Casey wanted to mess with, ever.

Looking forward to this Raph grinned behind Casey's back. He silently followed his stumbling friend.

Emerging from his laboratory, Donatello and Michelangelo caught Raph's evil grin. Intrigued, they began walking towards the living room.

* * *

Leo watched April pull a stumbling Casey towards the living area. After having spent many years underneath the Shredder's leadership, Leo was all too familiar with the signs of someone who was afraid.

Casey was Raphael's best friend. Leo's eyes met Raph's. The question passed unspoken. _Should I?_

Raph's nod caused Leo to bit his inner lip to keep from breaking out in a grin.

This was going to be fun.

* * *

Casey sized up the recovering turtle seated on the couch. As with Raph's other brothers, Leonardo had the build of a fighter. He wasn't as built as Raphael, nor as lean as Donatello. And he didn't have Mikey's excessive energy, in fact, the eldest turtle was almost eerily calm. Leo sort of fell somewhere in between his three siblings.

Leo watched Casey take a seat next to April. Keeping his face blank, he waited for the vigilante to speak first.

Casey shifted on the couch. "Umm, so ah, we never formally met. I'm Casey Jones."

Leo remained as still as a statue, waiting and watching.

Casey rubbed the back of his neck. "So, yeah, your brother Raph and I. We were roommates for a while."

Leo remained silent and motionless. His eyes remained fixated on Raph's friend.

Casey felt like Leonardo's eyes were gazing into his very soul. Why wouldn't the turtle just say something! Or maybe nod? Heck Casey would even take a frown at this point. Leo's continued silence was freaking him out. It was like Leo was judge, jury and executioner, rolled all into one.

Leonardo tried his best to keep his face neutral as his gaze shifted downwards, falling upon the katanas nearby. At first, his brothers wouldn't even let Leonardo handle a spoon without tensing up, least he do something foolish to himself again. Convincing his overprotective brothers to return his beloved blades to him had taken a lot of promising, pleading and, Leo was not ashamed to admit, even begging on his part. Ultimately Leo had to resort to borrowing Mikey's trademark puppy dog eyes, while simultaneously promising for the hundredth time that he would never stab himself again. With his own strategy used against him, Mikey had been the one to crack first, followed shortly after by Donatello. Receiving pressure by his two siblings, Raphael eventually caved as well and the blades were returned to the triumphant sword wielder.

Leo shifted. Having recently oiled his katanas, the blades were still sitting on the coffee table. Leo reached over and gripped one of the handles. He rose slowly. Raising the katana high, Leo tried not to wince as the move tugged on his still healing side.

Donnie frowned at the movement. Due to their weight, Leo wasn't supposed to handle the katanas one handed for a couple more days. But he could scold Leo about that later. Right now, this was too good to miss.

Leo snuck a glance at his amused audience out of the corner of his eye. He deliberately kept his pace slow. His expression unreadable as he approached. Leo adjusted the blade in his hand. He admired the steel as it shined in the light. It felt good to handle his sword again.

Casey tried to shrink back in his seat as the intimidating turtle walked towards him. That was one really sharp looking knife.

Leo swung the katana, slicing the air. He caught Donatello's disapproving glare. He was going to hear about this later, but right now, he was having fun.

After what felt like hours of waiting to Casey, Leonardo finally stopped his approach. With a steady hand, Leo pointed the sharp blade at Casey.

Casey swallowed hard.

The tension in the room increased.

Finally Leo spoke, his voice low. "So tell me Mr. Jones."

Casey held his breath. His heart was beating rapidly in his chest. His eyes remained fixated on the blade directly in front of him.

Leo's eyes suddenly shined with mischief. His voice lost its earlier growl.

"How did you meet my brother?"

Swiftly removing the sharp weapon, Leo placed the sword back on the coffee table.

Relieved, Casey let out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding. All of that build up, and Leo was just curious how he and Raph met?

Chuckles of laughter rang throughout the room as Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo joined the group.

Mikey looked at Leo, admiration on his face. "That was awesome bro!"

Raph smirked. "Yeah, I thought Casey was going to soil his pants."

Casey shot a dagger filled look to Raph.

Donatello tsked. Having shifted into Dr. Don mode, he eyed Leo. "No more sword handling for a couple more days Leo."

Leo shot his brother a sheepish grin. The look on Casey's face had been worth it though.

* * *

April placed a hand on Casey's arm. "So how did you and Raph meet anyway?"

Raph cleared his throat. "It was Mrs. Morrison."

Curious, Mikey asked. "Mrs. Who?"

Raph said. "Mrs. Morrison. She's a blind lady that lives alone with her cat."

Leaning back in his seat, Raph continued. "One night, I had just finished beating up some Purple Dragons. I was walking down a dark alleyway when this old lady stepped outside her doorway. She mistook me for someone else. Thought I was sent to help her move some boxes. When she didn't freak out at the sight of me I realized that she was blind, so, I offered to help. Afterwards she offered me some tea. I asked her why she was moving. Mrs. Morrison was being evicted from her home. She asked if I could stop by the next day and help her finish. I didn't see a reason not to, so I said yes."

Raph looked to Casey to continue their tale.

Casey cleared his throat. "I've known Mrs. Morrison since I was a kid. She's a nice lady. Her husband died a few years ago. She lost her vision when she got older. Some degenerative eye vision thingy."

Donnie corrected. "Macular degeneration."

Casey nodded. "I stopped by for a visit. Ya know to see if she needed any help. She was moving across town, to the rent controlled apartments for seniors. When I walked in, all her stuff was already packed and ready to go. She kept talking about her new friend Raphael, who helped her. I'd never heard of the guy. I wanted to meet him. To, ya know, thank him for helping out."

Raphael chuckled. "I never suspected a thing. I walked into Mrs. Morrison's apartment. And Casey was standing right there. You should have seen the look on his face."

April squeezed Casey's arm. "What did you guys do?"

Casey rubbed the back of his neck. "At first, I was too stunned to do anything. But then I saw how kind he was to Mrs. Morrison. There was no way he was a threat to her, even if the dude did look well, weird."

Raphael said. "Mrs. Morrison asked us to keep her company for a while. She offered us some tea. We played some cards. The three of us hit it off. After she moved, the three of us kept hanging out. Casey and I found out we had a lot in common. Busting heads, and taking care of Mrs. Morrison."

Casey finished the tale. "Raph started crashing at my place. Eventually he told me about his family. And what happened. Well, you dudes know the rest."

April's eyes glistened as she looked at Casey. The vigilante may be a bit rough at times, but inside he had a heart of gold. It was no wonder why Raph and he got along so well.

With their tale finished Mikey jumped up from his seat and raced to the kitchen. "So who wants pizza?"

* * *

Michelangelo and Raphael followed Casey and April as they walked to the door of the lair, saying their good-byes. Donatello slipped back into his laboratory.

Leonardo surveyed the empty room for a moment. It felt good to be home.

Master Splinter's gentle voice broke the silence. "Leonardo, come. I wish to speak with you."

Leo kept his eyes on the floor as he followed Master Splinter. Each step Leo took, felt like he was walking down the plank of a pirate ship, moments before plunging to his doom. This was going to be the first time Leo found himself alone with his father since returning home. And the terrified teen already knew what was coming. First, he had abandoned his family for the Foot Clan. Then, he almost left them again when he stabbed himself to get away from the younger Foot Elite.

His brothers might call him Fearless, but right now Leonardo felt anything but fearless. The blue masked turtle was filled with shame and dishonor for what he had done. Leo feared the consequences his dishonorable actions might have caused. And what terrified Leonardo most of all, the disgust and disapproval he was sure to receive from Master Splinter.

* * *

Splinter lit a few candles, then seated himself on a pillow.

Leonardo knelt, then performed the traditional bow as best he could with his wounded side. "Master."

Master and student sat in silence for a moment. Splinter let his eyes roam over his eldest son. It was good to have him home again. But there was the matter of Leo leaving for the Foot Clan that still needed to be addressed. And Leo's dramatic solution to escape from the Foot Elites.

Splinter reflected upon the last few days. The hushed, yet emotional, discussions among his children. The turtles were slowly beginning to heal. And each of his sons have already confessed their hurt feelings and then forgiven Leonardo.

Splinter looked at the young teen kneeling before him. Leonardo has proven time and again he would do anything to protect his family. Sometimes his decisions were rash, but his heart was pure. Splinter may not have agreed with how his sons have conducted themselves these past few months, but in the end, they had banded together. Leonardo left first, but then his brothers followed suit. And when they found a way to reconnect with Leonardo, once again they rejoined with their leader. His sons love for each other, their trust in one another, their actions to follow Leonardo's lead time and again, demonstrated their fierce devotion to each another.

How could Splinter berate any of his sons for following their heart?

Leonardo kept his gaze on the floor, waiting for his sensei to speak. His stomach churned. Sweat began to pool on his brow. The silence was a torture Leonardo tried to welcome. He would accept any punishment without complaint. Leo barely breathed, too afraid to do anything that would further disappoint his father.

Splinter began. "Rejoining with the Foot Clan. Attempting Seppuku. You have been rash and foolish with your decisions Leonardo. I do not agree with many of the actions you and your brothers have done these past six months."

Leo's eyes remained fixated on the floor. He felt ashamed at having left his family. And his actions have brought dishonor to both himself and his clan. Leo began to tremble. His brothers have forgiven him, but his luck may have just run out. Splinter's words cut deeper than any knife or sword could have ever done. He had crossed the line this time. And Splinter's disappointment hurt worse than any physical wound ever could.

Splinter said. "There is an old tale about a young leader, Takeda Iwata. As the eldest son, he was burdened with the responsibility to guide and care for his clan after the fall of his father. The Iwata family were the owners of vast expanses of land, making them constant targets for thieves and bandits. The attacks were relentless. Hoping to protect his family, Takeda reached an alliance with the local warlord. The agreement was simple, Takeda would serve in the warlord's army, in return for the protection of his family's land."

Splinter paused for a moment, then continued. "But something happened that Takeda did not foresee. When the warlord called upon Takeda's help, the young leader arrived at the warlord's camp to find that he was not alone. His brothers had followed him. They also wished to serve in the warlord's army, to repay the protection provided to their clan."

Splinter reached out, placing a paw on his son's shaking arm. "Good leaders earn the respect, trust, and loyalty of their followers. My son, you may have started out acting alone, but your brothers followed you. Together, the four of you have taken down the Foot Clan, and brought freedom to the streets of New York City. I am proud of you my son."

Leo's head jerked up in surprise at the unexpected praise. "Master?"

Splinter said. "I am happy that the four of you eventually trusted one another. That you worked together to help each other. The actions of you, and of your brothers, demonstrated the love and loyalty each of you have for this family."

Splinter's paw moved to cup Leo's chin, forcing the teen to look at him. "Loyalty to your family, trusting in your brothers, these are the signs of an honorable warrior Leonardo."

Leo's eyes glistened beneath his mask. He swallowed hard a few times, struggling to keep the tears at bay. His resolve was crumbling as the love and forgiveness flowing from Master Splinter washed over the young leader.

Splinter's next words, broke what little self-control Leo had left. "You are a fine leader Leonardo. But more importantly, you are a caring brother. And a well-loved son. Welcome home, my son."

The blue masked turtle lunged forward, greedily basking in the comfort offered by his father's embrace. Splinter was mindful of Leo's wounded side as he soothed the young leader. Splinter rubbed comforting circles on Leo's shell as he glanced at the doorway. Three shadows silently shifted.

Splinter smiled as his eavesdropping children moved away from the entryway.

The happy father felt his eyes swell with unshed tears. His four sons had returned to him. The lair felt like a home again.

* * *

 **A/N: Only the epilogue is left. That will be up in a day or two. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Virtual Peanut Butter Oreo Cupcakes to those who review.**


	26. Epilogue

**A/N: As promised, one day later, here is the epilogue.**

 **Disclaimer: It is depressing to keep reporting this fact, but I still do not own the turtles.**

* * *

Chapter 26-Epilogue

Three months have passed since the Hamato clan was reunited.

Michelangelo sat on the couch, furiously sketching in his book. For the past few days, Mikey and his sketchbook have been inseparable. Occasionally, the young artist would stare at one of his brother's upper arms, then return to his scribbles.

Leonardo and Raphael walked out of the dojo. They began heading towards their little brother.

Shifting his shoulder, Leo couldn't help but wince at the movement as it tugged on his side. The wound had healed nicely, but it was taking time for all of the scar tissue underneath to break down.

The motion did not go unnoticed by Raphael. The red clad turtle put a comforting hand on Leo's shoulder. "Give it time bro."

The blue masked turtle let out a sigh as he nodded. "Yeah, I know."

Leo sat on the couch first. "What are you drawing Mikey?"

Distracted Mikey answered. "Nothing."

Leo smiled. It was unusual for the youngster to keep his art to himself for so long. Usually Mikey was showing off his work within the first few minutes.

Raph approached the couch from the opposite side. He quickly snatched the book out of Mikey's hands.

"Hey!"

Mikey reached out for his book. "Raph, give it back!"

"What have you been drawing Mikey?" Raph smirked and threw the book to Leo.

Mikey screeched. "Give that back!"

At the sudden commotion, Donatello walked into the room.

"Donnie heads up!" Leo tossed the book to Donatello.

Mikey cried out. "Leo, no! Give me that!"

Always the curious turtle, Donnie began flipping through the book. Mikey struggled to get out of Raph's grip.

"Guys come on!"

Donatello flipped to the last page and let out a gasp.

Sparking Leo's own curiosity, the eldest moved closer. "What is it Donnie?"

Leo's eyes fell onto the page. "Raph, you've got to see this."

Curious, Raph released his artistic brother and approached.

Defeated, Mikey slumped back onto the couch. There was no turning back now.

Raph leaned over and looked.

The page was covered in doodles. But it was the series of images at the center which stood out.

It was an upper arm. It could have been any one of their arms. Well, anyone of the three of them who were marked with a tattoo.

The first arm had the Foot Clan symbol on it. A perfect representation of the tattoo on Leo, Raph and Mikey's upper arms.

On the second arm, the Foot Clan symbol had been covered, by a striking fist. The fist covered most of the Foot image.

For the third arm, four rays of color had been added. The rays covered the remaining portions of the Foot image. Each ray represented one of the colors from each of the brothers' masks.

The rest of the page was littered with Foot Clan symbols. Some of them were covered with the Hamato crest, but the foot symbol would peek through the gaps of the flower. Other drawings had kanji for Hamato incorporated into it.

The three older brother's looked at the slumping form on the couch. Closing the book the trio approached.

Mikey wanted to melt into the couch. His face growing redder by the second.

Leo seated himself next to Mikey. Sensing his sibling's discomfort, Leo kept his voice soft. "Mikey?"

Keeping his eyes on the floor, Mikey mumbled. "I just thought with the Foot gone and all."

Raph perched himself on the arm rest, while Donnie sat on the floor, crossing his legs.

Donatello picked up on Mikey's intentions. "It's a tattoo cover up."

Squirming, Mikey nodded. _Yes._

Leo said. "The four colors of the rays, that represents each one of us doesn't it?"

Not wanting to trust his voice, Mikey nodded again. _Yes._

Raph crossed his arms in front of his plastron. "And the striking fist?"

Leo smiled. "That's the first move Master Splinter taught us. The proper way to throw a punch."

Mikey solemnly nodded. _Yes._

The three elder brother's eyes met. Mikey's drawing was meant to represent them. The youngest had been sketching options to cover up their Foot Clan tattoo with a new one, something representing their clan. Their family.

Raphael uncrossed his arms. "Of course, if we agree to this you know what that means?" The predatory look he gave Donatello caused the genius turtle to shift backwards.

Donnie's voice wavered. "Raph?"

Following Raphael's train of thought, Leo teased. "There's no escaping the inevitable Donnie."

Mikey's head snapped up at the sudden change in his elder brothers.

Catching on, Donatello leapt to his feet as he let out a squeak. "Oh no!"

Donatello shot out of the living room as if someone had lit his tail on fire.

Laughing, Leo and Raph chased after him.

Puzzled Mikey remained still for a moment. _Wait, what did I miss?_

Donatello's voice carried back to the confused turtle, answering his question.

"There's no way you are marring my body with a tattoo!"

A mischievous grin crossed Mikey's face.

Suddenly everything made sense. Of course Donnie would run. The purple masked turtle was not a fan of tattoos. After all, he was currently the only one without one.

However, with the odds three against one, the ink shy turtle didn't stand a chance.

Mikey eagerly jumped off the couch as his jubilant voice rang out.

"Come join the dark side Donnie!"

* * *

 **A/N: You didn't really think I would leave the turtles marked by the Foot Clan, did you? Well, this chapter marks the end of NVN (for now, in the future you never know right?) Thank you for reading and taking the time to review. Reviews keep me motivated and I'm already working on a Raphael oneshot that I hope to post soon.**


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